Sweet Caroline

Caroline is doing great! She is nursing well and doing a pretty good job of sleeping at night. The best thing is that I have plenty of energy this time around, and I don't even mind getting up or staying up with her at night!

Luke continues to adapt to having a sister. He likes to touch her face and wants to hold her. He doesn't seem overtly jealous, but he does like getting extra attention from us. Thankfully, he hasn't been bothered by her crying at night-- he's a pretty sound sleeper.

We are so thrilled to have a little girl at home! She is such a sweetie! We are amazingly blessed!

Family of Four-- Latest Photos

Luke met his sister Caroline for the first time this morning. He was very sweet, but we think he will still need a little time to adjust-- just like Scott and I will! :)

How wonderful to be a family of FOUR!

The end of the road-- the start of a new journey!

What a wonderful experience this whole delivery has been! I know that it is because all of you have been covering us with prayer. Caroline came into the world screaming, and it was music to our ears! Scott and I were so calm and relaxed the entire morning. We were really able to enjoy and savor the beautiful moments ahead of us.

Right before Dr. M began the c-section she knelt down at the end of the table with us-- where Scott was holding my hand-- and asked if we would like to say a prayer. So, we all grabbed hands and Scott led us in such a moving prayer-- it was too wonderful for words, and it seemed like such the fitting ending-- and beginning!-- to Caroline's whole journey into this world. Thank You, Lord!

She is doing SO great! I just look at her and can't believe how blessed we are. I have said it over and over-- but God HAS indeed been so faithful to us.

We are bringing Luke to meet her for the first time this morning. I can't wait to see what his reaction will be. I know that ultimately he will be a terrific big brother, but I'm sure he'll need a little time to adjust to another little one in the house-- just like we all will! :)

It is so hard to believe that we made it! She is here! She is healthy! She is beautiful!

Yeah, God! :)

Welcome, Caroline!

2006 B.C.-- "Before Caroline!"

As this weekend nears its end, I am trying to comprehend that this is our last weekend before Caroline arrives! All week I have felt like I should be doing something "historical" or monumental to mark the end of an era and the start of a new one.... It was a good, peaceful weekend, and Scott and I spent a ton of time just reveling in Luke and how amazing he is. He is so smart and seems so old to us now-- and I'm sure even older once we see him next to Caroline!

I have pretty much accomplished everything I had on my to-do list before we go to the hospital. I spent time today working on her baby book and the journal I am keeping for her. I looked back through Luke's stuff, too. It is so amazing how far we have come from being brand new parents without a clue! I am really looking forward to somewhat knowing what we are doing this time around. At least the "fear" factor of feeling out of control and not knowing what lies ahead will be lessened-- I hope! I'll never forget feeling so depressed that my life was over, that things would never again be normal, and that I wasn't sure I was doing anything right! Yes, I am sure some of that was the leftovers of a traumatic delivery, two blood transfusions, anemia, lack of sleep, and hormones-- but it was also just an entirely new experience that I wasn't really sure how to cope with at the time. Now I know what "motherhood" is about-- I know my life will never return to "normal", but that's just fine-- it becomes even better than you can imagine.

So, we head into the hospital at 5:30 am on Tuesday, February 28th. Caroline Mae Westerman will make her debut sometime soon after 7:30 am. Please keep us in your prayers! We are very anxious to meet her-- finally! This pregnancy has seemed much longer than Luke's-- probably due to all the anxiety, stress, and two months of bedrest. I don't think I will fully realize what a miracle she is until I see her, hold her, hear her.... It is just SO hard to even take in. Also, please pray that we don't have any complications this time around. I'm not afraid, but I just pray that I don't end up having the same blood loss after this surgery. Thanks to all of you who have continued to cover us with prayer through this entire pregnancy. It means more than you know!

You know me-- I will post photos of Caroline as soon as humanly possible! I can't wait to have her first pictures uploaded into my computer!!

We live for monumental moments like this, don't we? Graduations, engagements, weddings, births... Moments in time that will forever shape and change our worlds as we know them. It is such an incredible process, isn't it? I know the Lord and His angels rejoice with us in these times.

Happy Valentine's!

Scott and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day! We went to Fleming's-- an incredible steak house here-- with two other couples. Fleming's is our favorite spot, but it is SO expensive that we are lucky to go two or three times a year. We usually go on our anniversary or to celebrate (being pregnant!) or for Valentine's Day. It was a great night and so fun to sit around and catch up with old friends. We have all known each other since college-- during our wild and crazy dating days! Now we are all married with kids! It is so amazing to see how far we've all come. Praise the Lord that we all are still in great marriages!

While we were eating dessert, country music singer Leeann Rimes came in with her husband Dean and their entourage and sat down right behind us. Nashville is such a cool town in that respect.... I think stars are generally treated "normally" here without all the paparazzi and fuss. That's probably why Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman hang out here so much rather than in LA.

Anyway-- when we were getting up to leave, I noticed that Leeann looked at me, turned to her husband and then started whispering. I can only imagine what she was saying, but probably something along the lines of "She is HUGE!" Or, maybe she was saying she'd like to start a family of her own... Who knows?!? But, I thought it was funny that she would end up whispering about me and not vice versa!

On this Valentine's Day, I can't believe how blessed we are! We have a great son and a daughter on the way. I still love Scott madly, and after 13 years, he is still my best friend. I am so happy to be going through life with him and sharing all these wonderful times together.

Thanks, Lord!

We shipped Luke off to my parent's yesterday. Scott had to be gone to Denver overnight, and I just didn't think I could handle 48 hours of non-stop Luke... at least not with just over a week to go before Caroline arrives! I was also getting sinus-y-- which makes me tired and draggy. We knew he'd have fun with Pa Bob and Ma Betz and that they enjoy keeping him. It has given me a chance to get some last minute things done on my to-do list as well. They'll bring him back Saturday.

We are getting very excited about Caroline's arrival! It is still so hard to believe that we have made it to this point! As much as we feel "prepared" this time around, I am sure our worlds-- and Luke's-- are going to be rocked! Even so, I am thankful for the chance to relive the beautiful chaos an infant brings.

Thanks, again, Lord!

Saturday Celebrations!

Last Saturday was a big day! To kick things off, the ZOE Girls had a baby blessing for me and Caroline. It was so wonderful to be surrounded by family and friends who have been with us every step of the way through this entire ordeal with our pregnancy. Every person in the room had been involved in some way to help us through-- whether it was by bringing food, coming to entertain me, taking Luke when we needed someone to watch him, or just simply praying. There were many tears, Scriptures, and times of sharing. It was the perfect way to celebrate her upcoming arrival, and it gave me a real sense of peace and closure.... I am ready for her to arrive now!

Immediately after the shower, all of our family gathered to celebrate Luke's 2nd birthday. We opted for the family only route this year. It was great fun! Luke is just so cute! He had a big time blowing out his candles and opening all his gifts. He is blessed to have such a loving extended family all in Nashville-- except for my parents who are only 2 hours away.

So, it was a busy, fun day. Life is so great. What a blessing to share in days like this with people you love. Now we are just in count-down mode, waiting for February 28th-- the day our family will grow again! Hard to imagine, but we are looking forward to it more and more each day! Bring on the chaos! :)

These are photos of Scott and me on our 2nd birthdays! Looks like we had the same cake, icing, and candles-- except mine was square!

You Say It's Your Birthday...!

Yes-- I confess! Today is my birthday! I am officially old-- or at least older!

It's funny that the older you get, the less "exciting" the day actually becomes. Dear, sweet family and friends made the day very special, though. I had a fun birthday lunch with my ZOE girls-- love those guys! Thanks, y'all! :) Scott also came through with chocolate-- always the perfect gift, and also a certificate to get my nails and feet done before Caroline comes!! :)

Last year I was so consumed with Luke's first birthday that I don't even remember thinking about my birthday. It just struck me this year that Luke's birthday is one week after mine-- I had never thought about it before. This year I am feeling much more relaxed about the whole event. We are keeping it low-key-- just family. Luke won't notice, and it just seems like the right call this time. We'll invite the friends to attend next year. Still can't believe he will be TWO!!

We are really getting excited about having a little girl although it seems so surreal still. That will all change soon! :)

Life is good! We are VERY blessed!

Precious Blessings

Technically, we have less time left than that since we are having a c-section on February 28th-- that makes it 34 days to go!!!!

Well, it's hard to believe that in about a month we will have a precious little addition to our family! I have been working on editing and creating Luke's DVD this week by reviewing all the tapes we have made of him during the past year. It is so amazing to watch the footage of him just one year ago-- learning how to walk, to explore, and to play. He seems so small! I am sure this time next year we will be watching tapes of him at this age and be thinking the same thing!

I still can't get my mind around what having an infant in the house again will be like. We are at such a great place with Luke now that it seems crazy to "mess it up" and have to start all over with another! :) He has done so well adjusting to his big boy bed. He has been sleeping through the night for about 2 weeks, so we think he has transitioned at this point. Today, for the first time ever, he even told me that he was ready to take a nap! It was so funny!

Even though we have already been down this road before, I still can't fathom holding Caroline in my arms and seeing her for the first time-- especially after thinking she might never make it at one point. It has been a long road, and I still don't think I realize what a miracle she is. I am really looking forward to enjoying this delivery and my first few days with her.... I just didn't have that with Luke because of all the complications. It took me about a month to feel back to normal with him-- I am praying I won't have to endure any of that this time around. Plus, I think (and pray) that we will be much more relaxed in dealing with a new baby the second time around. We'll know what to expect and surely won't have all the anxiety and fear we had with Luke during those first weeks.

I wonder what she will look like-- what color hair, eyes? Will she have the same look Luke did when he was born or will she have a look all her own? I just can't wait! Bring on the sleepless nights and the utter chaos of chasing a two year-old around while trying to tend to a baby! We have been so blessed-- how can I ask for more-- even if it is a serious challenge?!? I just pray that in everything-- the good and the bad moments that lie ahead-- I will stop to give thanks for my two precious blessings-- three, including Scott! :)

Pretty in Pink

Thought I would post some photos of Caroline's-- formerly Luke's-- nursery. When I first painted/decorated the nursery for him, I decided that I would keep it unisex, so that just by changing a few accents I could easily update for either a girl or boy. S0-- out goes the blue gingham-- in comes the pink! I purchased new bedding that added the pink and brought out the butterflies already present in the border. With a few more pink touches and new name letters above the crib-- it's pretty much finished! You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

My Dad made this crib back in 1997 for the first grandchild-- my sister's daughter, Camille. It has walnut inserts in it from trees from Andrew Jackson's Hermitage that were blown down during a tornado. It is truly gorgeous, and will be a family heirloom for all the grandkids-- and great grandkids-- to use throughout the years.

A closet full of pink! I went out and bought everything pink once we found out it was a girl!

Caroline's name is twice as long as Luke's was so it takes up the entire wall!

"I'll help with the diapers!" --- Luke will be a great big brother!

The only thing we purchased furniture-wise for the nursery was this changing table. My dad made the fence bookshelf for me. I took him to a local store in town who was selling this piece for almost $600. My Dad made it for me and it was the perfect accent for the room. So nice to have such a talented father! :)

This chest was actually in Scott's nursery many moons ago-- we just painted it to match the room.

I had so much fun painting these bugs on the wall-- I used the ones in the border as my guide.

God is Good

Well-- you know that my life is getting back to normal when I no longer post to the blog every day!!! :) It actually is WONDERFUL to be busy again! I am getting out and about just like before, and I have to say that I feel completely normal again. I am SO thankful that I am able to have this time to readjust to normal life before Caroline arrives. I have been able to get so much done that I wouldn't have been able to do if I was still on strict bedrest.

Her nursery is finished! It looks so cute! I basically kept the walls and everything the same, I just added new bedding and pink accents-- and changed the wall letters to her name instead of Luke's. I am very pleased. I will post photos soon.

Luke's big boy bed transition has gone really well, too! Yippee! On Sunday I sat him down and explained to him that he did not need to get up during the night anymore. I told him that he couldn't get out of bed until the sun came up in the morning. For some reason that clicked with him, and he has slept through the night for 5 days straight! We are praying that he has officially made the transition now. When he would get up, he wouldn't make a sound-- he would just fling our door open and come in. Then I would just lead him back down to his room and he would climb back into bed and quickly go back to sleep. This really didn't bother me-- in fact, I enjoyed it in some ways. I never had to rock him or soothe him to get him to go to sleep. We would just lay him down and he would go to sleep on his on... So, I really don't mind tucking him into bed and patting his back now-- even at 3:00 am!! It is rather sweet to sit by his bed and watch him sleep. It reminds me of how blessed we are, and how I will be up at all hours of the night anyway soon with Caroline!!

Scott celebrated his birthday on the 12th. Luke helped me make him a cake. He LOVES to "help" now with anything and everything. He's pretty good at following directions.

We went to the doctor on the 17th and we now have an official birthday for Caroline-- Tuesday, February 28th, 7:30 am. I had initially wanted her to arrive in March, and we could have scheduled the c-section for the next day, March 1st. But, when it comes right down to it, I just feel blessed to be at this point. After all we have been through, I don't dare get concerned about what day she's born-- I am just SO happy that she will be born happy and healthy and at an appropriate time. I will be 33 weeks next week which is a GREAT place to be. Tonight Scott and I were talking about what a blessing my being on bed rest actually was. We both were able to spend such quality time with Luke that we never would have had if we had just kept living life as usual. All the drama surrounding my cervix made us stop and appreciate each day-- literally. It allowed Scott to be at home much more than he would have and to assume a much larger role in Luke's day-to-day life. It allowed me to spend great amounts of focused time with Luke instead of just running around from place to place with him each day. I will always treasure the times we had curled up together on the couch playing games on the computer, reading books, and watching Charlie and Lola-- and Thomas. God really worked good out of the entire situation on SO many levels. Although I would never want Caroline's very life to be at risk in any way again, I would gladly go through the bed rest experience again if necessary.

So, life is back to "normal" as we await Caroline's arrival. I still can't really grasp what it will be like to have an infant in the house again. I am praying Luke will adapt just fine and not be jealous or bothered by the chaos she will surely bring. I am looking forward to many things-- Knowing what I am doing and not being afraid that I am going to mess up or do something wrong; Not being anemic, sick, and traumatized from the whole delivery process this time around (please, God!!); Savoring the times I have with her because I now fully understand just how quickly it passes; Watching Luke interact with her and being able to see her respond to him.... Can't believe all of this is just 5 weeks from Tuesday!!! WOW!

Luke's 2nd birthday is also coming up on Feb. 3rd. We are doing a casual family party on Saturday the 5th. I am also so excited to be having a baby blessing shower for Caroline with close friends and family earlier that day. It will be SO nice to celebrate with all of them-- they have been our support, encouragement, sanity, and strength through all of this.

Still on track with my Bible reading-- we are in Matthew now.

Life is good. Life is good. God is good. God is good.

Sleeping Well, Moving Again, Reading the Word

Today was a great day! First, we have reached the 31-week mark in our pregnancy! Yippee! And, Luke slept through the night without a peep in his new big boy bed! He went down this afternoon for his nap without a fuss, and Scott had no problem putting him to bed tonight! He went right down! Can this transition really be that easy?!? We are hoping! :) I can't wait to put the finishing touches on his old nursery to make it Caroline's!

Scott's mom will be watching Luke tomorrow, so I am hoping to go shopping for birthday party invitations. It is so nice to be able to get out and about again. I am really feeling almost "normal" as far as my mobility. I think it just took a week or two for my body to realize that I could actually move again. I am so thankful that I am able to regain this agility before she arrives.

God is good! I am still on track with my Bible reading plan-- up to Genesis 29. It is so interesting to read all the stories again about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob... as well as Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel, and Leah. Haven't families been flawed since the beginning of time?!? Makes me feel a little better about my day-to-day foibles!

Big Boy, Big Bed, Big Birthday, Big Brother

Well-- today we made the "big move"... Luke is sleeping in his new "big boy bed!" He took his nap this afternoon in the bed and did great. Tonight he was a little hesitant to fall asleep. I sat beside him until he fell asleep-- which we never do, but, I figured we had to cut him some slack while he is getting used to the new room.

I think it is harder on me than it is on him! I was so sad today as I moved all of his clothes out of the nursery into his new closet. I just can't believe how fast time has flown! He is such a big boy now, but it seems just like yesterday that I was working so hard to get the nursery ready for him. Every little detail had to be just right-- now he is no longer even sleeping in the room. And, at the same time-- it hit me that this room is soon to have a new occupant! Seeing all her pretty little pink outfits hanging so perfectly in the nursery closet made it seem a little more real.

I still can't really imagine what it is going to be like having another little soul in the house. I am somewhat worried that Luke will have a rough time adjusting... he is such a good kid, I'd like to think that he will remain easy-going and flexible about it, but you just never know. He will have just turned 2 (by a month) when Caroline arrives-- if she waits until the 38 week mark. We also have no idea if he will succumb to the "terrible two" syndrome.... having a new baby sister could really exacerbate the problem!

So-- he will probably get a better night's sleep than I will tonight! I will probably toss and turn, hoping that he sleeps well and doesn't fall off the bed or wake up in the middle of the night scared to be in an unfamiliar place. My mind will also most likely be racing with all the "to do's" that I need to get done this week. We will be having Luke's 2nd birthday party in less than a month! I have a cake to order, decorations to buy, invitations to be made and sent, photographs to be taken, and a DVD to be made of his second year! Please let me get it all finished!!!

It is just crazy how fast life seems to be getting. I can't fathom that I will be the mother of two in less than 8 weeks! I am just praying that all goes smoothly, and that we will be able to roll with the punches!

30 Weeks! Hooray!

I am 30 weeks pregnant today! Hooray!

There were a few times along the way when we were afraid we wouldn't make it to this point, but God is faithful!

I go to the doctor tomorrow. I am looking forward to celebrating this milestone with her! Yes, we have at least two more months to go, ideally-- but we are a long way from the danger zone weeks were facing in the beginning.

I started on Luke's curtains today and got one panel finished. He went home with my parents on Monday, and they are going to bring him back on Thursday. I miss him, but we are using this time to try to finish up all the projects on our to-do list.

Thanks so much for all the prayers. We truly believe God was listening and has brought us to this point!

Man or Monkey?!

Hope all of you enjoyed the first day of the New Year today! We passed our last evening of 2006 playing Scrabble with my parents! We are just two wild and crazy kids! Scott won thanks to his use of all 7 tiles on "massacre"-- a 50 point bonus.

The first Sunday of the New Year also brought a great lesson at church. Tim showed a clip from Leno where he interviewed people on their Bible knowledge. If you have ever seen any of his "Jay-Walking" segments, then you know how pathetic the answers were. Who was swallowed by a big fish?-- Pinocchio. What did Joseph receive that made his brothers jealous?-- a new car.

Anyway-- his point was that basic Biblical knowledge-- even within the church has declined greatly over the past 50 years. Statistics bear this out. We live in a culture where 12% of people think Noah's wife was Joan of Arc ("ark?!").

I have always been extremely good at Bible facts. My dad would do Bible flash cards with us before bedtime-- always accompanied with a Bible story read out of our big white Bible story book. It was just something that was always emphasized, and I thankfully have retained much of the knowledge I learned as a child.

It is sad that the "Church of Christ" used to be widely regarded as a fellowship who knew its Bible. For better or worse, we were known as people who could quote book, chapter, and verse on just about any topic. That doesn't ring true today. It is simply not a priority in most of our churches or families today.

Tim actually passed out a "Bible quiz" and had everyone spend close to 15 minutes testing his/her basic Bible knowledge. Questions like, "Who wrote Philemon? A. Peter B. Paul C. Philemon D. Onesimus (Answer= B. Paul) He went over the answers. My score? 21 correct out of 25. Not too bad considering I was trying to pacify Luke and keep him from stealing my pen the entire time!

I really want Luke to grow up knowing the Bible. It weighs on me heavily. I want to make sure that I do my part to teach him all the great stories-- from the major to the obscure-- like my personal favorite tidbit of Bible trivia from my youth-- King Og had a bed 13½ feet long and 6 feet wide (Deut. 3:11). I even have an entire set of Bible flannel graphs to use on a flannel board-- a favorite memory of my Sunday school days. Yes, I know I am a nerd...

One of Tim's last points-- The difference between a monkey and a man? A monkey looks at a telescope, a man looks through a telescope. The Bible is an amazing telescope which gives us great insight into the heart of God and all the answers to life. We need to learn to look through the Bible and see its wonderful truths instead of just looking "at" it and never fully grasping the bigger picture.

All the Bible facts in the world can't replace a genuine, meaningful relationship with Him. That is ultimately the most important thing, but treasuring His words in our hearts is also important, too. It helps shape our souls and attitudes in His likeness and ways.

So-- my New Year's resolution is too spend more time in the Word-- not just reading for reading's sake, but really trying to glean wisdom and guidance from the Author Himself.

Happy New Year!

"...Forgetting what lies behind, and looking forward to what lies ahead..."

Philippians 13:3