Savannah Claire @ 3 years 10 months

This little girl is a pistol ball! She is smart, sweet and a little bit sour at times. She can not wait to be a big sister and a big helper to mommy and Ryleigh!

Savannah is really enjoying her 3K preschool class right now. I'm so glad she's happy, having fun and learning lots of fun things. She will be attending the 4K program next year at the same school. Savannah has just started showing a lot of interest in writing her name and other names/words this past week and is doing VERY well. I'm super proud of her!

Savannah loves to play with baby dolls, watch Daniel Tiger, play ABCmouse, and cut and glue paper. She's also VERY GOOD at making big messes but not so good at cleaning them up yet. She all of a sudden is too tired or her back hurts. haha (I don't like cleaning up either sweet girl but you just gotta do it!) However, if you give her a bottle of Thieves cleaner and a rag she will gladly scrub the floor and the steps. Silly girl!

Savannah Claire is beautiful, full of personality and we love her so much! I look forward to seeing her become a BIG SISTER soon and see how she transitions into that roll. I truly think she will be a wonderful help.

We love you SO SO much Doodlebug!!

Brantley Rae @ 6 years old

 This beautiful girl of ours turned 6 years old back in January. That is still hard for me to fathom. How has it been 6 years since we brought her into our family?! Whether I can believe it or not, she is 6!

Brantley is in Kindergarten at Green Valley Elementary school and she is loving it. We had started the school year by homeschooling, which we truly did enjoy, but with me being pregnant and have a busy 3 year old at home, it was just a bit too much for me to handle at the moment. Brantley started at GV in January and has been so very happy. Her teacher is one of our friends so I know she's in good hands. Thank you, Mary!!

Brantley is becoming a good reader when she will actually try. She doesn't have much interest in reading on her own yet although she is almost reading on a first grade level at this point. I'm hoping she'll develop a love for reading over the summer.

Brantley still loves to draw, color and write. She is super creative and loves to make pictures for people. She will sometimes make Thank you cards for restaurant workers on the way there to give them. It's so cute! Yesterday she made one on the way to Firehouse Subs and the worker hung it up on their board while we were still eating. Brantley was so happy!! 

Our precious girl keeps getting smarter and more beautiful every day! I'm so proud of her and thankful that the Lord chose us to be her parents. Sometimes the days are hard but the reward is seeing her succeed, learn and grow.

Big Sisters

Brantley and Savannah as so very excited about baby Ryleigh! They look forward to having a new baby sister and talk about her all the time. We pray for her every night at bedtime which I think is just the sweetest thing in the world.
Last weekend it was warm enough for the girls to wear pretty dresses so we took them to the Botanical Gardens to snap some pictures of them at this age before life gets a bit more hectic with little bit in arms. So here they are....

This is such a sweet (and rare) picture of these two together. I pray that they will grow closer in relationship with one another each and every day. They can be and are so sweet to others but to each other they struggle a good bit. Lord, please grow their hearts together so that this is the love between them that is seen most often. Please!

Baby Bump @ 36 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 36 weeks: My hip/back pain has gotten much better since I started going to a new chiropractor a few weeks ago. It's amazing how much easier it is to walk and move around now that my hips are in line. Ryleigh has begun to drop down into my pelvis now that it is aligned so that is a major plus. Until now she has been tilted to the side (transverse).
-I've started doing more and more exercises to get my body ready for delivery and they feel really good. I've gotten them from my chiropractor and The Bradley Method book that I've started reading.
-I've started having more BH contractions. I'll have a few each day but as soon as I sit down, drink some water and rest, they stop.
Baby's Development at 36 weeks:

Ryleigh is the size of a Honeydew melon or a Spaghetti Squash!!

• Baby's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his or her own.
• Baby's skin is getting smooth and soft and the gums are rigid.
• Baby's liver and kidneys are in working order.
• Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go too.

(WhattoExpect.com says that Ryleigh is about 6 lbs and 20inches long. She's getting close to birth size!)

Doctor's Appointment at 36 weeks: Yesterday's appointment went well. Ryleigh is measuring right at 36cm/36 weeks. She was moving so much that Dr. S couldn't get a heartbeat on her but we obviously know she's doing well in there. ha! This was the first week that my cervix was checked for progress. I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced or thinned out. That's right in the middle of where I have been with the big girls at 36 weeks. I'm hoping I'll be a bit more effaced at least by next weeks appointment. Effacement usually happens ahead of dilation. I also had some blood work done that showed I'm slightly anemic, so I've begun taking an iron supplement to prepare me for delivery.

Labor & Delivery: I've chosen to try a natural, unmedicated delivery with Ryleigh. My doctor thinks I'm a great candidate since I've had fairly easy deliveries before and this is my third baby. I've been reading The Bradley Method book to prepare myself. Chase and I will be attending the unmedicated birthing class at Brookwood on March 16th. Hopefully, we both feel much more confident after that.
-My doctor thinks I'll probably deliver a week or so early with Ryleigh like I've done with the girls, so we're preparing for Miss Ryleigh to join our family one day during spring break. I hope!!

Belly Picture for 36 weeks:

Bump Pictures @ 32, 33 and 35 weeks

Baby Bump @ 29 weeks

How I'm Feeling at 29 Weeks: Thankfully, Ryleigh and I are still doing really well. My belly is getting rather large. ha! I forget just how round my belly gets when there's a growing baby inside.
I'm still experiencing some pretty bad SI joint pain. Also, just a few days ago, I started having sharp pains in my groin. I had both during my pregnancy with Savannah so I'm not worried about it, but it is uncomfortable. I think I may be having some Braxton Hicks contractions but then again it could just be gas. Sorry! Anyways, they come in little spurts and aren't anything I'm concerned about at this point.

Baby's Development at 29 weeks:

- This week Ryleigh is about the weight of a butternut or acorn squash.
- She's starting to get a bit cramped in there so her kicks are feeling more like jabs. She is a wiggle bottom like her sisters, for sure!
- Even though she is around 16 inches long, she is still super skinny. From here on out she'll mostly put on the pounds, by at least doubling her weight by birth. Her body will be grow white fat cells to pump her up and give her surges of energy.
- I haven't felt her hiccup yet but I'm sure they're coming.

Doctor's Appointments: Last Thursday I had my 28 weeks doctor visit, which went really well. My blood pressure is still good and my weight gain is on track, even though I feel HUGE! We attempted a 4D ultrasound of Miss Ryleigh but there wasn't enough fluid around her face to get a clear picture. We're going to try again next week when I go back for my 30 week visit. Hopefully, the placenta will have moved up away from her face so that we can get some good pictures of her sweet little face.
I'm now visiting my doctor every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then I will go each week until delivery. AHH!! I can't wait to hold this sweet baby girl in my arms!!

Belly picture for 29 weeks:

Baby Bump @ 28 weeks

How I'm feeling: I'm doing great. Ryleigh Jean is growing like a weed. She weighs as much as an eggplant this week.

My doctor appointment went well this week. Now I start going every two weeks until 36 weeks.

 Belly Picture for 28 weeks: