32 Weeks



Me at 31 Weeks

Lots of things have happened since my last post.

Went for my 1 hour glucose test and found out I failed. Went back in the next week with my loving husband for a three hour and passed!!! That was such a huge relief!!!

Baby Malachi finally has a middle name. I have always said that I wanted a little boy named Ryan, every since I was little. Well those of you who know us well, know that is Justin's middle name. He wasn't to keen on the idea of Malachi Ryan and we have been debating other names. Justin insisted that since he picked the first name that I needed to pick his middle name.

We went to a friend's surprise birthday party a couple of weekends ago.  It was on a Friday night, after a long day at school.  I try to come home every day and relax for a while, but didn't have a lot of time on this particular Friday.  I was home about 30 minutes and then had to quickly get ready.  We were running late because we were finally getting some much needed rain, and Justin has to drive from Granbury.  Once we were on our way we became even more late.  Finally we made it there about an hour after we were supposed to.  Oh well, what can you do, right??

Anyway, we had dinner and were getting ready to leave.  I have discovered that I can not leave any location without first visiting the restroom, so I stood up and felt a little odd, but really needed to use the facilities.  Mid usage, the lights go out and the bathroom stall turns into a large black abyss.  Finally, my eyes adjusted enough that I could see with the help of the emergency lights.  So I proceeded to make my way out of the bathroom and had that unusual feeling. 

Our friend came in to check on me while the lights were out and we made it out the door, but then I had to stop.  I finally discovered that I was having contractions.  Now, I have had Braxton Hicks contractions before here and there, and this was definitely not BH!!!  I had to stop and hold on to the cabinet.  Our friend went and got Justin for me and I started to feel better, but became suddenly very hot.  We went outside, which wasn't much better, but at least there was a breeze.  I sat down outside and started having another contraction, everyone with us tried to take my mind off of things and kept me laughing. 

Once that one passed, Justin and I made it to the car and I continued to have contractions!!!  We were getting a little concerned and called both moms.  Thank GOD for moms!!  They both said to try to get on my left side, which I knew, and too take a Tylenol and try to relax.  We said some prayers and by the time we got home I was feeling much better!!!  I crawled in bed and finally slept pretty good.  On the way home, I finally decided to go with my gut and give Malachi the middle name Ryan.  I was very happy with my decision!!!

More to come later this week!!!  Got some other things to do!!!

Las Veagas

Lots of things have happened in the Bowden Household since July.  We decided that we would take one last vacation before Baby Malachi makes his appearance.  We booked a trip to Vegas and left at the end of July.  We were gone over my birthday and it was great. 



Waiting at the airport

While we were there we rented a car, well it was more like a closed in go-cart, but it did the job. On Monday we decided to drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  I had never been and always wanted to see it.  Let's just say I wasn't disappointed!!!  We were in the state park for a few hours, and while we were there the temperature dropped about 25 degrees and it started raining!!!  We were soooo excited!!!We saw some awesome plants and of course amazing Grand Canyon views. 

On the way home, because we were in a go cart, we had to get gas a couple of times.  We got back late and ate at the Beligio for dinner.  The next morning, we received a phone call from our credit card company, letting us know that there was suspicious activity on our card.  We later found out that someone at both gas stations we stopped at charged an addition $180+ after we left.  Luckily, we have a Capital One card and they canceled the card and took off the charges. 

We saw everything there is to see in Las Vegas including the Pawn Stars Pawn Shop, Old Downtown, and the fountain show.  We stayed at the Luxor and saw Cris Angel's magic show. 

I was so excited to go to the Pawn Shop, because I LOVE this show.  However, on the way, I was playing with my new camera Justin bought me for my birthday and deleted the movie Justin recorded of the fountain show.  I cried for over 2 hours because I deleted it.  Justin couldn't understand why I was so upset, and neither could I.  I think those pregnancy hormones kicked in!!!

We had a great time, and plan on going back to spend some alone time after Malachi gets here.  It seems like a perfect weekend getaway for busy parents. 

Hi-Ho Hi-Ho, It's Back To Work I Go...

Well, it's that time of year again.  The time where I spend all my time and energy preparing for my students and another year of teaching.  Going back was hard this year, because I knew that I was going to have to prepare to go out on maternity leave. 

The Monday school officially started I sat in my car and called Justin.  He could tell I wasn't just real enthusiastic about being there and told me to get out of the car.  Well I did and ended up having a pretty good day.  Don't get me wrong, I love my job and I am very thankful for it, but being pregnant has made me realize how badly I long to be at home.   

To make my first day better, Justin sent me a gorgeous bouquet of roses and lilies.  I was so excited.  You see, I have always wanted something sent to school for me, and my dreams finally came true.  Every summer before school starts, I remind Justin that I still hadn't gotten anything sent to school.  He decided since I hadn't reminded him of that this year that he would send me something.  I was so shocked that I began to cry.  He truly out did himself and blew me away.  But I still ruined the surprise.  The Sunday before school started I reminded him again and he almost didn't send them to me.  You see he has this rule that if I find or figure out what I am getting for a present, I don't get it.  But my sweet husband still sent them to me!!!  :)

Baby Malachi

Well Baby Malachi still doesn't have a middle name, but we have narrowed it down to three.  We like Ethan, Ryan and Jacob.  I discovered Friday night that if we named him Malachi Ethan, his initials would be MEB, so we could call him Mini-Me.  Hopefully soon we will decide on his middle name.

We also went for our 3D sonogram a couple of weeks ago.  This experience was not exactly what I had hoped for, but it was still amazing to get to see our precious little boys face.  He was being a little difficult and wouldn't put his hands down.  He had them on his face the entire time.  He has a set of full lips.  We were trying to figure out where he gets them from, and then I realized that my brother and sister both have full lips.  They get them from our great-grandfather.  I did have a little worry.  I worried that he might inherit my nose.  Well his nose doesn't look like mine, but it does look very wide in the pictures, the lady ensured us that noses always look bigger in sonograms than they really are.  Here are a few of our favorite pictures. 

He has also started kick-boxing lessons already.  For those of you that know me, know that I have always dreamed of being a mom.  I constantly have my hand on him, talking to him, or thinking about him.  Nothing in the world tops the amazing emotions I feel when I can feel and see him moving around.  He has apparently started stretching out and I can often times feel his feet under my sternum.  I am so happy to be pregnant and have truly enjoyed every moment.  Even the two times I got sick.  Yes, that is what I said.  Luckily I have only gotten sick twice.  I feel so blessed and know that God has been looking out for the three of us.

Well after a couple of months trying to decide how to paint Malachi's room, I finally picked out the paint.  Picking his bedding was such an easy task, I thought the painting would be as well.  In every room of my house (which I have painted all but his room and Justin's office) I knew exactly what I wanted and did it.  After 4 trips to Lowes today I finally got the right color and got my part of the job completed.  In his room there are vaulted ceilings so I did not climb the ladder to reach the top 6 feet of two walls.  Tomorrow Justin will be home from the deerlease and I am hoping he gets home in time to finish the walls.  I want to have his furniture, bedding and curtains put up before going back to school on Tuesday.  That should only leave a few odds and ends to finish it off.  We are doing the red, blue, and tan bedding and accenting with giraffes.  Hopefully, I will have finished pictures soon!!! 

My Birthday!!!

Well this year I turned 27 and was a little sad about it.  I realized how close I was getting to turning 30.  For my birthday most of my family came into town.  We went to Olive Garden and came back to our house for cake.  We had my parents, brother, three neices, and my sister and brother-in-law at dinner.  The three girls were so good.  When we got back to the house they along with my brother entertained us.

This is Davee playing with Melman

Reagan Lynn

Davee and Preslee

 

I have some videos of my brother being Melman from Madagascar, but I can't seem to get them on my computer.  Hopefully I can figure it out soon and post them.  He was cracking us all up!!!

 

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!!!

It's amazing how many BIG Decisions we have to make over the next 20 weeks. 

Decision #1

Justin and I have been together for ten years.  We have always talked about having children and getting married, even before we said "I love you".  During Justin's first or second semester in college at TCU, he was taking a religion type class.  In this class he learned about Malachi.  After this class he came to the conclusion that our sons name was to be Malachi.  Well, after nine years, the day has finally come to name our first child.  We both truly believe that GOD wants our son to be named Malachi.  We have gotten a lot of conflicting opinions about his name, but at the deer lease we decided that we were going to continue to do what GOD wants and name Baby Bowden, Malachi!!!  We are both very excited with this choice and now it is up to ME to give him a middle name.  Justin wants me to pick his middle name, since in all reality he did pick the first name. 

Decision #2

We have been looking at baby furniture since we found out we were expecting.  We have been to every baby store known to man and looked at all the websites.  We finally narrowed it down to some furniture at JCPenney.  We were having trouble though deciding on what color to pick.  Well, last night I finally made the decision and ordered the furniture.  I still can't believe that baby furniture is coming to OUR house!!!

Here is the furniture collection we ordered.

Crib

Chest

Dresser/Hutch

Decision #3

The next decision I have been contemplating for as long as the furniture is bedding...

We have always wanted to do giraffes in the nursery, but I have been having a hard time picking something that wasn't too baby.  I don't want the cartoonish animals.  I want something that can grow with Malachi for several years.  I feel if we do animals though, we will have to change it within a year or two. 

I have found a bedding set from JCP that I absolutely love.  Here is a picture...

 

If I pick this bedding, I am not sure if I would get the mobile and the three pictures in the back.  I think I could tie in giraffes with this set easily.  Although, I could still get the art and mobile and tie in giraffes.  I can see an old school red wagon sitting in the corner of this nursery with stuffed animals in it. 

These are the other choices I have been debating on. 



Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...

Decision #4

Where to deliver???

After visiting with the doctor today and learning that Malachi continues to be on the right track and growing well, I learned that it is time for us to make the big decision as to where Malachi will be delivered.  We had always planned on delivering at Harris, but I learned today that our doctor also delivers at Baylor.  Both are in Down town Fort Worth and he explained that they both have the same great quality of care.  He did express though that with Baylor's recent renovations they did have an edge on Harris.  He explained that the rooms and bigger and nicer and Baylor has more amenities.  What to do, what to do???

I know these are just a few of the decisions we have to make over the next 20 weeks, but these are the major few right now!!!

6th Anniversary and Vacation at the Deer Lease!!!

Where to begin!!!  We got home on Sunday, from a much needed vacation.  Since we spent last summer in Europe we decided that it would be great to spend a week with nothing to do, so we went to the deer lease to camp.  Now, I wouldn't camp without an air conditioner at this point in my pregnancy, so don't worry, there is electricity and a camper trailer out there.  We had so much fun resting and fishing for a week.  We did decide that this would be the last summer it is just the two of us, so we also booked a 5 day, 4 night trip to Vegas!!!  We are very excited!!  Neither one of us has ever been to Vegas, and we will be gone over my birthday.

We celebrated our anniversary while we were gone as well.  Justin took me to this steak house called the Beehive.  It was in the top 5 of the best steakhouses in Texas.  Here are some pictures from that night.

The restaurant was set up in an old fort that they moved several years ago and converted it to a hotel and restaurant.  This is a picture of the outside after dinner. 

Off to the deer lease.  There is a camper out there with electricity and air-conditioning.  So we would sleep late, get up, have breakfast, and be back in the air-conditioning before it got too hot outside.  We have learned that I do not handle heat very well right now.  Around 6:30 or so we would head back out and go fishing and driving around on the Kubota.  It was so nice to not have anything to do, just relax and have fun together.  Justin caught a lot of fish and I did a lot of reading. 



This was the shower we used.  There is no running water at the deer lease, so we had to take a lot with us.  You can see that the shower hung down really low.  To get the full affect of the water you had to squat to the ground.  But atlease we got a shower every night!!!

This was a large ice chest that we loaded with water and strapped to the trailer.  We used this water to wash my hair and to shave.  That is why the chair is up there. 

This is where we washed dishes.

While inside we played lots of games.  This was at least a 3 hour game of Monopoly.  There are many people who think Justin cheats at Monopoly, but this just proves that he doesn't.  This is an electronic version and I was the banker.  He was in major debt and still came back to kick my butt!!!

Since Justin beat me at all the games we played, I challenged him to a puzzle-off.  Yes I know kind of lame, but that is the only thing I could beat him at.  I put together the puzzle on the left and then Justin finished the one on the right about 45 minutes later.  I finally beat him at something!!!

I can't get this to flip, but this puzzle took me 2 1/2 days to put together.  It was probably the hardest puzzle I have ever put together!!!

One of Justin's many fish!!

This is what I did...I shot the stump with Justin's 22.  Yes I made those holes and that skid mark down the side.

Overall, we had such a great time.  We enjoyed just being together and getting to discuss all the adventures that are on there way!!!  Now on to Vegas at the end of the month for a final trip with just the two of us, well Baby Bowden will go to, but you get the point.