I'm an Aunt!!

(photo credit: Donna Jackson)

My brother and sister-in-law just had their precious little boy yesterday afternoon!
He is a tall and skinny little guy at 21" and 5 3/4 lbs.

Congratulations to new Mommy and Daddy! You two have a handsome son!

Little Adventurer

Tom is beginning to become mobile.

Where has my baby gone?

Yesterday, he also figured out how to turn around in his bouncy seat. So he was on his hands and knees bouncing the seat. He looked like he was having fun! He ended up climbing out of the seat by tipping it over and rolling out. 

P.S. Look at those thighs! : D

Gender Prediction

A fun part of being pregnant is dreaming about the gender of the baby inside you:

Will you be flooded with bows and dolls, or boots and tractors?

There are many Old Wives Tales that can "predict" the gender of your baby. 
I did about a dozen just for fun. : )

Chinese Calendar: I'm not exactly sure how this works, so I just used a tool on the internet. It has something to do with the age of the mother, the conception date, and the lunar calendar.

Mayan Tale: You add the age of the mother at conception and the year of conception. If it is even, it is a girl; odd and its a boy. 20 + 2013 = 2033

Baking Soda Test: You pee on baking soda. If it fizzes, then it is a boy. No reaction and its a girl. 

Heart Rate: Above 140 its a girl, lower than 140 its a boy. Ours was 141.

Shape of Belly: High and sticks out, its a girl. Low and round, its a boy. I don't have too much of a belly yet, but it is low.

Skin/Acne: If you break out more, then it is a girl. If you stay the same, or clear up, it is a boy. I've been about the same.

Ring Test: There is an episode of LHOP where this test is done. Caroline sees a gypsy, and is told that she will be having a boy based on this test. Well, she ended up having a girl; Baby Grace. Anyways, you hang your wedding ring on a string, and hang it in front of you belly. It it swings back and forth it is a girl, if it swings in a circle it is a boy. The first time I did this, it ring didn't move : D I did it again a few weeks later, and it moved in a circle.

Cravings: If you crave sweet things like fruit then it is a girl. If you crave savory things or protein, then it is a boy. I've mostly been craving chicken sandwiches and fried/mashed potatoes.

Morning Sickness: If you have it, then it is a girl. I had it worse than when I was pregnant with Bob, but not as bad as it gets.

Moodiness: If you are moodier than usual, then it is a girl (because of all the extra hormones, they say). You're usually the same or happier if you are having a boy. Bryant says that I'm about the same as before.

Daddy's Weight: If Daddy gains weight, then it is a girl. If Daddy stays the same or looses weight, then it is a boy. Bryant has stayed the same.

Sleep on Left or Right Side: Sleep on your left side, its a boy. Sleep on your right, its a girl. I like to sleep facing the edge of the bed. So, on my side of the bed I lay on my left side, but I do lay on my right when I'm on Bryant's side.

Ultrasound: Not an old wives tale, just the ultimate predictor... or should I say confirmer. It took the technician some poking, prodding, and patience, but we did get to see that we are having another little General. 

Thomas Jonathan Jackson Cutler

(named after General "Stonewall" Jackson)

Again, this was just for fun. We mostly went by father's intuition : D then were confirmed yesterday with our ultrasound.

Happenings

It has been quite a while since I have last blogged, and I'm sorry for that. Most of the things that are going on and pictures we take are posted on our facebook page. I just wanted to get on here to post a picture or two and maybe a video of the little General.

First is a picture of our harvest from our garden that the LORD so plenteous supplied us thus far. There are bell and banana peppers, a cucumber, a tomato (we have already eaten two), a load of squash, and zucchini. We have probably picked twice as much, if not more, zucchini than is pictured.

The General and his Daddy taking a nap at Great Grandpa's house on Memorial Day weekend. Aren't they precious! 

Now a close up of the little General. I can't believe that he will be one in just a couple of days!

He is getting so big and learning so much! I'm looking forward to what the LORD has in store for him in the next year, especially becoming a big brother!

Oh! and here is that video of the General. 

"Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work:..." Jer. 32:17-19a

Thank you LORD for your lovingkindnesses and tender mercies to our little family! May we show ourselves acceptable unto thee!

My Knight in Shining Yarn

What a boy! I love this kid! The Lord has blessed us greatly with this bouncing baby boy! 

As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:4-5 (KJV)

Five Months

Such a sweet little boy! The LORD has blessed us greatly with a good-natured son! I love him so very much and can no longer imagine life without him. He is so good, he is healthy, usually happy, and just as cute as a button! The LORD is so good and merciful to have given us such a sweet little boy to love and cuddle!

Lord, may we, as parents, gain/have the understanding to lead this little one in Your admonition and truth!

P.S. He absolutely loves his little pig (a.k.a. I love his pig)! Thank you Granny!

June to November

                                  

                                  

                                  

                                       

37 Weeks!

Praise the Lord! Robert is full term! Yay!

Any day now... actually any day in the next month or so... our little son will make his arrival.

Robert should weigh around 6 lbs and measure around 19 inches (stalk of Swiss Chard).

Though they are uncomfortable, I am very thankful the Lord gave women "practice runs" for labor in Braxton Hicks contractions. They are a wonderful preparation for what real contractions will be like, and give me practice in how to breathe through a contraction. 

Oh! I can't wait to cuddle my little boy and see what he looks like!

35 weeks

Only 5 weeks left... two weeks and I'll be considered full term!

The Lord has blessed me very much by giving me what I think is a very easy pregnancy... though I do complain about most some of the "symptoms". My morning sickness was just nauseousness. Heartburn hasn't really hurt, its just been an annoyance. My feet haven't been swollen except for just this past weekend, and I think that is just from riding in a van for long periods of time. Though, shamefully, I complain to my husband about swollen feet and stretch marks; the Lord has blessed me greatly with the ease of carrying Robert, and I am very thankful for it.

"Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight." Source

Week 35

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

~Psalm 127:3

Week 33

33 weeks and 3 days today!

Its funny that I feel so big, but am told I am tiny for how far along I am...

"This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood." Source

Anxiously Patiently waiting on our little one,

Kathryn

31 Weeks

Robert feels like he is just so big, though I know he will just be getting bigger. He should now weigh a little more than 3 pounds, comparable to four naval oranges, and should be about 16 inches long. 

"He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: all this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy."

Source

^^A video describing the 28th-37th weeks^^

Just for fun,

 here is a list of his nicknames since we found out about him.

Olive

Stringbean

Robert Edward Lee

The General

Bob

Bobble

Wiggle Worm

Robert's Shower

This past Saturday was Robert's baby shower!

The shower was hosted by my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They were very creative and detailed in the whole thing. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I had a great time myself! I am very thankful to them both for putting it all together and making it fun for everyone, including the little girls. I'm also thankful to Sarah for helping them, and me, during the shower. It was a wonderful time!

"That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth"
~Psalm 144:12a

Mmm... Fried chicken and watermelon 

Cake and Haystacks

The Picnic Table

The cute place setting

"Cheese!"

All the guest-decorated onesies

Mrs. Cutler also prepared a devotion on child raising concerning the five inputs:

• Prayer
• Daily Bible Reading
• Friends
• Music
• T.v. or Movies

It was very thought provoking on my part, in helping my husband, in raising Robert. I am very thankful that the Lord has blessed me with mothers that love children, and are more than willing to give me creative, practical examples of how to teach Robert about the Lord, while keeping his mind and body busy and focused. 

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

~Proverbs 22:6

Two-Thirds

I am now in the third trimester!

Whew... Only 12 more weeks until Robert's due date!

"By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world."

Source

Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He hath done for you.

1 Samuel 12:24

Robert is one of the many great things that the LORD has done for Bryant and I. 

He is much more than we deserve or could ask for, and he isn't even born yet. 

I am still anxiously awaiting to hold him and cuddle him. 

Week 26!

The General is growing. . . or at least making me grow : )

We are 26 weeks along. He should be around 14 inches tall and weigh around a pound and a half. His length is comparable to an "English hothouse cucumber"

Robert should be learning how to "breathe", he is practicing by inhaling and exhaling the fluid around him.
His ears continue to develop, and, Lord willing, if they are growing correctly, he could be able to hear regular volume voices that are near to me.
Robert is putting on fat, hence his making me grow rounder.

I'm getting more and more excited about holding Robert, but more and more anxious about the delivery. Though, I am trusting the Lord for the courage in delivering Robert, and resting in the fact that He made the female body for doing this as one of her purposes.