Well...

My due date is NEXT WEEK!!! I saw Dr. Hubach today. Good things first: my blood presure is calm and cool, Sydney is measuring growth right on target, her heart beat is perfect, and Dr. Hubach is on call next weekend. Bad news: no major change in my progress towards labor. In fact, Dr. Hubach wouldn't even talk about inducement dates. So... I'll go back next Tuesday and we'll see from there. I'm still working and seeing between 10-20 kids a day for therapy. I guess if I was at home I would just be sitting around "waiting for the pot to boil", so I'm thankful to be busy. Looks like Sydney will be a March baby :)

38 Weeks

Well, only 2 more weeks to our due date! I am dieing to know when she is going to get here!!!! Right now it is 2:49 am, so I guess you could say that I am having trouble sleeping :). We had a great President's Day weekend- we slept in and put together Sydney's swing and got some other things done around the house. But I am definitely getting more and more uncomfortable! I go and see Dr. Hubach today at 11:15, so we'll see...

Update after my appointment: Well, everything looked healthy and normal today. Sydney measured 37 weeks, but she is still growing so Dr. Hubach had no worries. I did have change from my last appointment, 1 cm, nothing major, but we are hopefully on the right track. I go back Tuesday for another appointment and check. Thanks for your prayers, comments and support!!!

Sydney's Bedding

I've tried the bumper pads with the floral facing out and facing in and I like it either way. The nursery is done! Now we just need a baby...

Our first Baby Girl

Here a few pictures of our first Princess!

I know she will be a great big sister...

36 Weeks

Hello everyone from the Walkers! We did get to participate in the SARA Study at UAMS, and got a 3 D ultrasound as "payment". Somehow my child managed to have her foot, leg, and at least one hand in front of her face for the entire ultrasound! We didn't get a perfect picture of her pretty little face, but we did get some cool ones. I'll try and get to Erin's scanner so I can upload a few. She measured 5 lbs, 10 ozs (plus or minus 10 ozs) and it said March 9th as a due date- right on target! I don't have any other major news to report. I've started my weekly appointments but won't get "checked" until this Monday- yuck. Brent is flying to St. Louis from Monday through Wednesday night, so say a little prayer that Sydney doesn't suddenly decide she is ready to arrive! I can't WAIT for her to get here, as long as Brent is in town!!!!

Sydney's Room

I talked to the lady that is sewing Sydney's bedding, and it isn't quite done yet. But, my Aunt Sherri and Mimi are dying to see her room, so here is what we have done so far. The green paint on the walls is really pretty, but I took these after it was dark, so the colors don't look as pretty in pictures. I LOVE her room so far! I find myself going in there several times a day, just to see how different the light looks and imagining all the things we will do in there. I hope y'all like it! I will upload a picture of her crib once her bedding is done!

34 Weeks

I am still feeling pretty good, but very pregnant too! More heartburn and basically uncomfortable most of the time, especially at night. I can not WAIT to see my daughter (will I ever get used to saying that?!?) and start getting to know her. Mika got me this shirt- it says "Motherhood isn't for Sissies" and I already 100% agree. Thanks everyone for the feedback on trying to relax and enjoy the ride- I've taken it to heart!

A Newborn's Conversation With God

A Newborn's Conversation With God

I saw this on a blog that is linked to Casey's, and I teared up it is so sweet. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

A newborn's conversation with God: A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired,"But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."God said,"Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.

"God said,You will simply call her, "Mom."

Look what Dayle painted!

We owe Dayle more than words can say (or we can afford) for painting our table, chairs, and crown!!! And I'm sorry, but I can't post new pictures of the nursery yet because the bedding is supposed to be ready early next week and we still need to hang several things on the walls. One of the things we need to hang is a beautiful crown that David Geran made and Dayle painted to hang over the crib. Check out Sydney's initials on the top of the table. Please see the pictures above for just a taste of how things are shaping up!!! And Dayle-

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nesting

OK, I'm afraid that I must be nesting already. Now, given my OCD tendencies and anal personality, it really should not alarm me. But, this is a new low: I can't stop making lists of things I need to get down around the house and in the nursery, things I need to get done at work in the next 6 weeks, things we still need to get before she gets here, things I have learned and haven't learned in our classes, and I have 3 books started but not finished that I feel this need to read every word. HELP!!!! Please tell me that other new moms felt this overwhelming sense of... trying to prepare for the most life changing experience ever??? And I know in my head that I can't even begin to be prepared, but it is nice to plan, isn't it!?! We got a wonderful pack-n-play as a shower gift, and Brent put it together tonight while I watched American Idol (more just to get me off his back about putting the stupid thing together, but I don't care his motives). I think it is going to be perfect. Our plan (I know I will live to regret I ever said those words) is to keep it set up downstairs in the guest bedroom as a diaper changing station/nap time spot for the downstairs. These things come with everything: a music box, light, vibrating motion, diaper changing add-on, a canopy, and even a mobile. Please note that I even have a few newborn size diapers ready. Now, where did I put my list so I can add that we still need wipes...

OBU Shower

Erin, Scarlett, Katie, and Julie hosted a beautiful shower for my OBU girls. Everything was wonderful- from the invitations to the food and diaper cake, prayer cards for people to write special prayer requests for Sydney on (and Amber got confused and thought it was for anyone to make a prayer request, so please everyone be praying for Allen's grandmother and family :) ) and a wonderful mega-saucer for Sydney. It was so much fun to laugh and visit with everyone. Wait until you see the table and chairs that Dayle is painting for the nursery!!! They are almost ready and I know they will be a keepsake for many years to come. Oh, one more neat thing, the invitation asked everyone to bring their favorite Golden Book, so now Sydney has a start on a wonderful bookcase full of special books. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart to all of you for sharing in this special time!!!

Thank you so much Keri

I wanted to show everyone how beautiful the canvas is Keri painted for the nursery. And thanks to Kate and Michelle for snapfish help...

Shower at Ashley's

Ashley hosted the sweetest shower for me at her beautiful home on Sunday afternoon for our church friends and various Bodylife group members. It was so wonderful to be surronded by so many moms who gave me honest and great advice! We sat around and visited and they all gave me helpful hints. It was so special to gather around and pray for Sydney (and all the other babies represented in the circle). What more could a girl ask for than prayers and great fellowship and food?!? Thanks again to Ashley, who has more going on in her life than I can even imagine, but still finds time to be a blessing to me and so many others!

My 1st Baby Shower!!

This Saturday I had a wonderful baby shower, surronded by great friends and loved ones at "Sassy's House". Thank you to everyone who helped with it! I loved the food, the party favors, the decorations, and the gifts were so overwhelming! Keri painted me a canvas for the nursery and started Sydney's hair bow and tutu collection, Corbin and Erin made these huge baskets of goodies, I got our pack-n-play and a wonderful swing... I could go on. What a true blessing it was! Of course I came right home and started organizing all of Sydney's new stuff! Corbin got some good pictures with her camera and sent them to me via snapfish, but I don't know how to upload them into blogger. If anyone does, please help! Thanks again for a wonderful shower guys!

Almost 32 Weeks

Well, the Walkers are having a busy week. I had my 32 week appointment yesterday, and everything went fine. Sydney measured 31 weeks (I'll be 32 on Friday so that is just right I guess) and her heartbeat continues to be strong. Dr. Hubach said she is not breached right now, but she still has a few weeks that she could do a flip- we'll keep our fingers crossed she doesn't! We started our Childbirth Class tonight, and I know that I am a total nerd, but I enjoyed it! There were several neat couples in the class, and since we have 3 more we'll get to see them again. The best part tonight was that we got to tour the Baptist labor and delivery, surgery, and post-delivery areas, and a little peek into the nursery. I actually learned some things and got to ask some questions, so it was worth going. Brent was the funny dad in the class because everyone had to say the best and worst thing about pregnancy- and he said the best thing was that we are having a baby girl, but the worst thing is that he can feel debt coming on just by having a girl. The dreaded video will be next week so we'll see how I feel at this time next week!! Brent and I have been working on the nursery, which I am loving by the way! I'm hoping to have some stuff on the walls soon, and then I'll post some pictures. We have 2 showers this weekend, one with the NLR crew and one with my church group. I feel so humbled and blessed over the whole shower issue. I will be posting some pictures of the showers of course too, so stay tuned!!!

Thank you Brent!!!

Brent got me a pregnancy massage for Christmas, and I went yesterday. It was the BEST thing ever!!! She specializes in women's health and is a certified pregnancy massage therapist (you can't just go to anyone because massage can bring on labor). One of the best things is that I got to lay on my stomach for over an hour, something I haven't done in at least 4 months! She had this great cushion, almost like an air mattress, with a hole for my belly to lay in. Anyway, to all you expecting mommies out there- I highly recommend one!!!! Thank you Brent!

New Years Fun

We had a great Christmas with all the family, and then we headed down to Dallas to hang out with Scarlett, Jason, and Bowden on Thursday. The boys played flag football and watched tons of football, and the girls shopped and shopped and shopped. Sorry Scarlett! I just love all the shops that we don't have in Central Arkansas. I think I may have pushed it a little too much because I had to go to the dr. this morning and I have bronchitis! Oh, well, it was worth it. We had so much fun we didn't take hardly any pictures, but I did get one of Bowden on his "wheeler dealer".

30 Weeks

Merry Christmas!

Hello everyone. We are praying you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love, Lauren and Brent

Yeah- Julia is ENGAGED!!!!!

Great news to report... Julie and Ryan are engaged! We are so excited for you guys and can't wait for more details on when the big day might be. Congratulations!!! Oh, and I must add that her ring is GORGEOUS!! Lets just hope she doesn't try and go swimming in the thing or she will sink!