34 weeks!

Hi Baby A!

I am now 34 weeks! Wow, its going by fast! Only 6 more weeks until I see your sweet face and hold you in my arms! This is a busy week for us! We're finishing birthing classes and taking maternity pictures! We are having company come- my best friend, Jess and my cousin, Miranda from your grandpas side. I am excited to see them for the shower! It is this Saturday. Here is the invite! Jess designed it for us as a special gift to you!

 People have been very thoughtful in giving you gifts to welcome you into this world! Your great Aunt, Mary Ellen gave you a swing last night! It was a great surprise! Your grandpa gave us a pack and play! Many other people have given us cute dresses. It's so fun being a girl! So far, your favorite toy has been my ribs! ;-)

You are growing quickly. You are almost 5 lbs! It seems like my belly is getting bigger everyday.;-) Our midwife appointment went well and you're developing right on track. Hearing your strong heartbeat is such a relief! The midwife says that she thinks you are head down already! This is great news! This means we can have a peaceful uncomplicated birth at home for you! I have finished our birth preferences.  It makes me glad we are planning your birth at home. This has made me feel more prepared. With this done, I know that wherever you are born that you will be taken care of! We will now be having appointments every week!

My cravings have been smoothies this week! This is great because I can sneak in dark leafy greens without even tasting them! I have a feeling that you might need the extra calcium in the yogurt and soy milk.

Your dad finished painting the nursery! It is a soft baby yellow. He did a great job! The soft yellow goes well with your crib sheets! I have been making wall art to decorate your nursery! I am painting canvases with flowers to match the sheets. I hope you get your artistic side from your dad!

For exercise, me, you, and Cash have been walking/jogging everyday. I try to do yoga excerises most mornings. It will prepare us for your birth. We also do prenatal yoga every Wednesdays. It really helps with my back and stress from work. Although, it hasn't been that bad latelyIt's great to have the support of other pregnant women who believe in home birth. I'd like to be more active. But something is better than nothing I supose.

I get more and more excited with every week we get closer to meeting you! I can't tell you how happy we are to have you, sweet baby girl. I catch myself trying to imagine your sweet face and holding you in my arms. I keep wondering what our life will be like when you are here with us! Even though I have no idea what it will be like, I just know our lives will be changed forever in the best way possible. I pray that you keep growing big and strong in there, so you can be strong and healthy when you are with us out here. 

We love you lots and lots little girl, 

Mom 

Alex's Baby Shower!

Hi Sweet Girl!



We are at 35 weeks now! It's gone by so fast! I feel you moving more and more. I am loving every minute of it. I can feel your little feet and butt more distinctly within me. It's very exciting. I felt you move under my rib and then you kicked my hand! I catch myself feeling my belly and wondering all the time what you'll look like. I picture you like your dad, for some reason. He says that he hopes you look like me. Whoever you look like, I know that you will be so cute! Just like your dad is! ;-) 

This has been another busy week for us! We had so much fun this week! This week was your baby shower! It was wonderful to feel the love and support that we have! There were a lot of people- family, friends and church family who came to welcome you to the world! It was so touching how generous they were and the special homemade gifts that they made just for you! Here is one from a friend hand made just for you-

The party was so beautiful! It was beautifully decorated with pink and brown! There was even neat diaper cake and a cute baby carriage! Your grandma and Auntie Al did a great job! Our cousin Miranda and my best friend Jess helped out a lot too. It was great to see them help out for just you! There are so many people who love you already!

The food was great too. There were tons of yummy sweet things that your grandmas and Auntie Al made- cookies, cupcakes, and candy. They all look so pretty with pink frosting and designs on them. I could tell everyone really enjoyed the treats.

We had fun with the games. My friend Jocelyn did the games and did a great job. They were fun and light. We played one of my favorite games- the dirty diaper game. It's where you guess the kind of the candy bar melted in the diaper. The melted candy bars look very real! Its hard to guess which candy bar it was! Some people thought it was real! But I just laughed.

I enjoyed talking to everyone there and catching up with them. I had some new friends come too. It was great to share this with them. And enjoy our pregnancies together.

 Before I knew it, it was over! It went by too fast!It was so humbling how everyone was so thoughtful, helpful, and generous to you! They all can't to meet you! I am so thankful that you have a strong family, friend, and Church family behind you already!

It was so nice having the extra girl time!! We had alot of fun staying up and talking late.We even finished a craft for you! It's very cute and we had a lot of fun putting it together just for you. It will go with our nursey colors so well! Your dad was glad to have some extra free time too. He'd come home and sit with us cracking jokes. :-)

Love you more than you know,

Mom

Pregnancy

I am pregnant!  Pregnancy is wonderful experience. I am currently 33 weeks and only have 7 weeks to go. I am so excited and thankful to be having a baby girl in April 8, 2013! I can't wait to meet my daughter! To see her sweet face and hear her first cry, is truly a special treasure from God! My husband and I are so thankful that we can have children. It is a special gift that we're hoping and praying for. I get excited every time I hear her little heartbeat! ;-) We have decided that her name is Alexandra Rose Slyter. Here is her first letter from me:

Hi Baby Girl!

We are so excited and blessed to have you in our life! Its been amazing to see how you've grown inside of me and the miracle that you are! We are so thankful to have you in our life! We can't wait to hold you and meet you!  Carrying you inside of me has been an amazing journey. I'm so glad I have the support of your dad, family, friends, and My Savior. So far, my favorite moments with you are:

A month before, me and your dad had been trying for you for a month already. I wanted to wish your dad a Happy Fathers Day! But there was no sign of you yet. I was getting discouraged. Your dad was very supportive and reminded me that it is all in God's timing. He wanted to be your dad just as much as I wanted you.

At week one, I missed my period. I told my friend. She got excited and said to check with a test! Since I tried a few times before and got disappointed last month, I waited a few days just case my period came late. It didn't come. I tested it was positive! I wanted to tell your dad in a special way. So after work, I gave him a present with the news! After a long day at work, he couldn't have been happier!

4 months

At 7 weeks, I would make your dad laugh with my weird cravings. He though the weirdest one was cheerios and raisins with soy milk! I craved a lot of greasy kid food-french fries, hamburgers, and salty food. It would make him laugh because it definitely wasn't me. With these cravings, I was hard trying to eat healthy. This was also the week we decided to have you at home after a lot of research and prayer! We are planning a calm peaceful home birth for you! We want to welcome you into this world in the most gentlest way, free from medical interference.

At 10 weeks, Me & our dad heard your heart beat for the very first time! I started to cry! Your dad all couldn't stop smiling! The midwife happy exclaimed-"Lanie's definitely pregnant!" It is amazing the love I have for you already!

Labor Day!

At 12 weeks, we announced to our family that we are having you! We had them over for dinner and told them. They were very excited and your grandma had a tear in her eye. We told them not to tell. It was a hard secret for them to keep! On Labor Day, we announced it publicly on Facebook. It was your Dad's idea to do a play on of words-"Happy Labor Day!"

At 20 weeks, we saw you for the first time! Seeing you through the ultrasound was amazing. We could see all your little eyes, arms, legs, toes, and fingers so clearly. You were already fully developed inside of me. You just needed to get bigger. We couldn't keep our eyes off the screen. I was so amazed at your little life inside of me already. You kept moving around that day! So the tech had to keep moving so that we could see you! This is your first picture!

you! ;-)

At Thanksgiving 2012, we find out that you were a girl! We had the tech at the ultrasound not tell us your gender then. Instead, we had her tie a pink or blue ribbon on a teddy bear and put it in a bag. Then we had to do the hardest thing yet, WAIT and not look! It was soo hard! We hopped on a plane to go to your grandpa's house in California for thanksgiving! Me and your dad decided to open the bag with family after dinner. I opened the bag and the whole family exclaimed it was a girl! We called your dad's family at home. Everyone was excited there too. Your Aunt Emmery was only 6 then. She started to cry. We couldn't be happier to have you! Here's the video link-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh8jwEPrRXM.

Thanksgiving

At Christmas, we were scared for you! I got pretty sick with food poisoning. I felt weak and nauseous for days after. We were very worried. We prayed for your life to be spared. We praise God that it was! I started to feel better and our midwife assured us that you are ok at our appointment. Your dad would pray over me for your safety everyday. Hearing your dad pray for us was the sweetest and most touching thing I have heard in life. It made me feel safe that we are in God's hands. We also got to see your dad's family and they gave us their congratulations. Your Aunt Emmerie said that she wanted to make you a special gift, a quilt! You got your first Christmas present a little lamby! It was a special Christmas because I had the best present inside of me!

Christmas

At 26 weeks, a friend from Church gave us your crib. We were so thankful. It is a beautiful crib and matched perfectly with the dresser in your nursery. I made me feel better and reminded me that God will provide us with what we need! What a blessing!

At 30 weeks, I could feel your kicks for the first time! Your dad could too! He was surprised how strong you were already! And Gramie is beyond excited! She keeps talking into my belly. She is buying you clothes and planning your baby shower! This is the week I started my pregnancy dance! It would make your dad crack up!

Christmas

At 32 weeks, you started to hiccup! I could feel little bumps within me. I could feel you move and little kicks by my ribs. You especially like to kick me before or after a meal. You'd help me remember to eat! This is the week my belly was really getting big. People at work would congratulate me. I kept telling them that I look forward in being home with you full time!

Now I am at 33 weeks. This week we have decided on your name! Alexandra Rose! It's very classic, modern (but not to trendy), princess like and you can make it our own with any nickname. It means defender of men. I hope you like it! Also this week, your brain is developing now and you are already 4 lbs! I have been feeling great except my back. Yoga, walking, and trips to the chiropractor have been helping. I am trying to stay healthy and eating well to take care of you. With only 7 weeks left, I am getting scared of birthing. Our birthing class at HypnoBabies and scripture has helped me. The verse that has really helped me-"I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 43:4. I know that it will all be worth it to see you!

33 weeks!

I will be better to write you and let you know how we're doing each week! I love you with all my heart little girl!

Love,

Your Mom

It's the simple things

Its the simple things in life that are the best. The stuff that is usually overlooked or forgotten. When we remember them, they can make life more enjoyable. For me, it's the kisses from my husband, a recipe that turns out, a laugh from your best friend, a verse that speaks to me, a kick from my baby girl, and my puppy learning a new trick are just some of the many small things. Writing helps me remember and appreciate them. What are your small things? Today mine is making lunch for my mom.