Pumpkin Carving

It's that time of the year, the leaves are dropping and pumpkin patches are lining every corner. Jeremy and I met up with a bunch of friends who were hosting a Pumpkin Carving Day. Everyone packed up the vehicles, drove down the street to the Pumpkin Patch to pick out the special pumpkin to make our creations later that night. It was a lot of fun watching all the little kids running around picking out pumpkins, and just enjoying this fun day.

The Pumpkin Patch

Jeremy found our pumpkin

It looked like I stuffed another pumpkin in my shirt, but it was just Preston!Our Family Pumpkin Patch PictureFriends and the KidsAnd the winners are....These two won in my book, although it was a close call...After indulging in chili, pumpkin muffins and sweet cornbread, Jeremy and I were stuffed/exhausted and enjoyed the rest of the evening relaxing with friends.

This was a great Fall Tradition that we were happy to be apart of, can't wait to do it all again next year with Preston.

28 Weeks

On Tuesday the 20th we had another follow up appointment with the doctors. Everything is going great, Preston is measuring normal and appears to be right on schedule. I am now going every 2 weeks to the doctor, which means that the weeks are flying by and he'll be here before I know it. I passed my glucose (sugar diabetes test) back on week 25 which was a relief. Unfortunately I had consumed a glass of juice and a rice krispies treat about an hour before and of course the high level of sugar showed up in my urine sample. The doctor just told me to watch the sugar intake but I shouldn't have anything to worry about since I just passed the glucose screening weeks prior. I had major baby brain that morning and should have opted for a healthier meal, especially before visiting the doctors office.

On Thursday the 22nd we had big plans to see Preston in a 4D ultrasound. He must have been excited because he was moving around all day long. I told him that he better cooperate with us later since we had to shell out some $$$ for this experience. The technician told me to drink 20 ounces of water an hour before my appointment. Well like a good girl- I drank more water than normal all day and ended up in the restroom every 40 minutes to empty my bladder. I don't know why she thought a 7month pregnant girl can keep 20 ounces of water down an hour before being prodded with an ultrasound wand.

Preston is currently in the breached position and it was a little hard for the ultrasound tech to get a good image of him at first. It didn't help that he liked to keep his arms/hands in front of his face. Towards the beginning he didn't mind his pictures being taken but at the end, he ended up putting both hands crisscrossed across his face trying to tell her to stop it already.

The technician was wonderful and very patient with us- she didn't have any other appointments after us so our 40 minute appt turned into 1 hr 20 minutes. She let me take a pee break and then another break to drink some OJ and walk around outside for about 10 minutes, hoping he would move positions or atleast move his arms out of the way. It was a really great to get a sneak peak into what he looks like, I'm glad that I'll have the photos to show Preston what he looked like inside the womb when he gets older.(Click Images to View Larger)

Finnley Ethan Ponder is Born

Our good friends Nick and Beth were blessed with a beautiful baby boy on Oct. 4th. He had to spend a week in the NICU after a few complications, but by the grace of God and many prayers, he was released. Nick and Beth invited us come to the hospital to meet Finn for the 1st time the night he was taken out of NICU, he was so precious and Jeremy and I got practice holding a little one.

1st Family Shot of the Ponder'sOptimus kept kicking me when I was holding Finn
(he was talking to Finn in morse code via kicks)

Our 25th week Check-Up

Optimus and I went to the doctors office this morning (9/29/09) for our 25^th week check up. All is well, my weight is perfect, he is growing right on schedule and no problems to date. I had to take the glucose screening this morning and drink a highly nasty sugary drink an hour before they drew blood- if I don’t hear back in the following week then all is normal, if I hear back from them- I’ve got to go in for another screening, this time for 3 hours. I’m pretty sure all is well, so I’m not too worried.

Jeremy, my mom and I went to Baptist South Hospital last night for a Hospital Tour and Registration. It really puts everything into perspective when you turn in insurance forms, filled out birth certificate documentation (expect the blank spot for his name) and sign a bunch of patient info documents. The hospital is brand new and really nice- no one should get lost trying to make their way around the hospital, really easy to find. The maternity suites are nice and roomy and I’ll hang out, go through labor/delivery and post recovery all in the same room- won’t leave until we go home. They don’t have any visiting hours nor have a limit on people allowed to visit. The only rule is no children until the age of 6 allowed in the labor/delivery ward- especially with the flu and other virus’ going around.

Jeremy and I will meet the pediatrician this Thursday evening for a New Parenting class, where we tour the office, meet w/ one of the doctors and go over vaccinations requirements and basic newborn care and any questions we should have. The pediatrician will come to the hospital after delivery and perform the initial checkup along w/ the hospital staff. We also start a 5wk Childbirth Class next Tuesday Oct. 6^th from 6:30-9:30pm , every Tues until Nov. 3^rd- it should be really interesting! And then we will also do a CPR class on Nov. 23^rd for infants/toddlers.

Going shopping for the day w/ my Mom @25wks

Running Errands around town @25wks

Mommy's 25th Birthday

Jeremy took me to Coco Beach for my birthday. We had a nice weekend relaxing on the beach, fishing off the pier and visiting the Space Center. Around this time, I'm about 22weeks and still going strong.
Once we got home from Coco Beach, my mom had a few close friends and family over for dinner to help me celebrate my birthday. It was really fun being around the ones who love you and I know that they already love Optimus.

Party Time for Mommy

I had the honor of being one of the matron of honor's for my friend Beffy's wedding on Aug. 21st. Optimus got to come along for the ride... here are some photos from the event and Optimus' expanding home (aka- my tummy).

Me and Mom

Jeremy and I

Jeremy, Myself, Elizabeth and Sean

I hosted a baby shower for my friend Beth on Aug. 29th, it was so much fun and she got so many great things for baby Finnley when he arrives.

It's a Boy!

We had our 17wk check up this morning and found out that baby Prine is a BOY! Jeremy and I are extremely excited and can’t wait to meet our little man (and start shopping!!) I am doing great, feeling fine, with no complications. I have only gained 7 pounds within 17wks which they say is wonderful and he is measuring at 7 inches and 8 ounces. The doctor did say that he was measuring big right now and either he is a little further along than we think or he might just be a big boy. Let’s hope for the first of the two.. either way he is going to be a big boy!

Jeremy and I were able to have both of our mothers present to hear the heartbeat (which is beating perfectly) and also see the sex of the baby, a moment none of us will forget. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful support and love from our family and friends and will continue to give thanks during the beginning of our new journey. Thank you all.

14 Weeks and I've Popped

The doctors told me that my uterus is back and tilted and that was the reason why we weren't able to hear Optimus' heartbeat at 12wks. He said that having a back/tilted uterus is like being left-handed and that all uterus' shift towards the front around 12-14 wks.

Well it's July 15th (14wks along) and I woke up and was totally amazed. My uterus shifted and our baby popped practically overnight. I definitely wasn't able to hide the baby bump anymore. Time to start shopping!

We have passed the 12 week mark!

This is from an email that I sent out after our 12wk appointment:

Some of you may or may not know that I am PREGNANT. And now that I’m at least 12wks along we are spreading the word- no more keeping quiet! To update to ones that weren’t aware- Jeremy has nicknamed our unborn child Optimus Prine after Optimus Prime from Transformers, some of you have called her Opey thinking it’ll be a girl, but by the looks of some of the photos I think he is a boy (break out the magnify glasses or zoom feature).

I went this morning for our Ultra screen Exam which went well- (it screens for chromosomal abnormalities, etc) they used the abdominal ultrasound this time and it was hard to see the baby because apparently my uterus is tilted and more in the back – the photos from this session are a total blur (the doctor said it will move to the front in a week or two and I’ll be showing more at that time). Then the nurse brought us in to try and hear the heartbeat, she was unsuccessful and brought in another nurse to try and help get a fetal heartbeat. Both nurses weren’t able to since my uterus is tilted and back further, so the doctor came in and tried his hand at it… he was able to hear movements and a few flutters but nothing to relive us so he offered a trans-vaginal ultrasound. Once we got moved into another room for the 3^rd time- we got hooked up to the vaginal ultrasound. Everything was perfect (sigh of relief)! We were able to see his heart beating normally and he kept moving his arms/feet around like he was playing soccer or dancing- it amazing. The doctor was able to get 4 photos during this time.

This is an upside down shot of his hand and back and leg (notice the little bump under his butt- not sure if it’s his manhood or a little tail).


This is of his head at the bottom and his arms and body.

This shot is of his head and arms (I think)...

His whole body, head, arms and feet.

We have our next appointment on August 4^th at 9:15am for our 17wk check up and our anatomy ultrasound (do we think it’s pink or blue??? We think blue). I’ll update again at that time unless anything else happens and I’ll try to post some pre baby pictures and baby growing pictures as we go. We appreciate the prayers and support and can’t wait to meet our little bundle of joy!

God Bless

Optimus Already likes to scare us...

This weekend Optimus (Baby Prine) decided to scare me and daddy. He was playing tricks on us and making us second guess if he was still with us or not… I was able to get in to see the doctor this morning and thankfully everything is wonderful. Optimus had a steady heart beat (we aren’t able to hear it yet but we saw it beating strong) and was hanging out waiting for another photo shoot. The doctor said that our visit was normal and some of the symptoms/lack of symptoms are common and not to worry. I am pretty blessed that Optimus hasn’t made me sick at all and he/she is sweet enough to take away the breast tenderness (even though they won’t stop growing)! We are 9 weeks and 4 days so far and he/she is 2 inches long with little arms and legs and a head. Now Jeremy and I can have a relaxing week not having to worry. I’ll update again after our 12wk visit on July 1^st.

1st Doctor's Appointment @ 8weeks

We went to the doctor today for our 1^st Exam and got to see Baby Prine (or Optimus Prine as Jeremy likes to call him) for the first time. He/she is about ½ an inch and I’m about 8 ½ weeks along with an estimated due date of January 13^th. I can’t wait to meet him/her next year and appreciate everyone being so supportive during this time in our lives.

God Bless.

It's Positive

It's May 7, 2009 around 5:30pm and I'm waiting for Jeremy to get home from work. I'm quite bored and am trying to pick up around the house when I get a funny feeling that I would like to take another pregnancy test. Now, we had been trying to get pregnant for the past 9 months and I was getting used to the negative tests each month and was just expecting this one to turn out like all the rest. I urinated on the stick and set it aside (normally I watch it like a hawk) and literally forgot about it for about 10 minutes. When I realized that I needed to go check the test, I saw the most amazing thing ever a big blue + positive. A huge wave of excitement, shock, gratefulness and fear came over me. I tried to find my phone and call Jeremy, but oh course I had misplaced it (the one time I needed it the most). Jeremy answered and was waiting in line at Verizon to get a new phone. I really didn't want to tell him the news over the phone but the "I need you to get home now" was recieved very well. He wanted to know why he had to come home now, asking questions like "Are you hurt?", "Can't you just wait a little while?" when I couldn't contain my excitement and I knew he wasn't coming home without a definate answer I had to tell him, "I took another pregnancy test, thinking it was going to be negative but I swear it is postive, We are having a baby!". The next thing I heard was, "I'll be right home".


After I hung up, I ran around the house, screaming and crying and then dropped to my knees to thank God for this wonderful miracle. Jeremy arrived shortly after and walked in with a huge grin on his face. We just embraced each other, and tried to soak up every moment and emotion that came over us.