7...8...Almost 9 Months Pregnant!

I'm a little behind posting on my pregnancy and Josey's progress.  We have been so busy with school, activities, and getting ready for Josey's arrival.  I can't believe we are just 12 days away from meeting our precious baby girl!  Here are some pictures and updates from over the last 1 1/2 months. 

September 25th ~7 Months Pregnant:

The kids are so very excited to meet their baby sister.  About 2 months ago, they started asking me every day, "How many more days until Josey's born?" So, when we were exactly 1 month away from my scheduled C-Section date (November 15), we made a paper chain with 31 links.  We are having fun tearing one off every day. 

October 15th ~31 days until Josey's arrival!

October 20th ~Josey @35 Weeks

Estimated weight was around 6 pounds, 2 ounces!



 October 26th ~Josey @36 Weeks

Poor baby girl is super squished!  I had a thorough ultrasound done to check her heart.  Praise the LORD that we were able to see the 4 chambers so clearly and from what they can tell, her heart is healthy!



October 29th ~8 Months Pregnant

My ultrasound yesterday showed Josey to be moving well and breathing on her own.  She hadn't gained but ~3 ounces in 2 weeks, but she is still at a good weight for 37 weeks.  Right now she is measuring what Lily's weight was at birth-6lb. 5oz.  My last Doctor's appointment will be next Thursday.  I have to say this pregnancy has flown by.  It is very bittersweet right now knowing that I am nearing the end of my pregnancy.  What a blessing it is to carry one of God's children.  We are so excited to meet our precious and perfect gift from Him.  Please continue to pray for Josey and our family as we prepare for her arrival on November 15th.  And may God be glorified through her birth!

This is what the LORD says:

The wise must not boast in his wisdom;
the mighty must not boast in his might;
the rich must not boast in his riches.
But the one who boasts should boast in this,
that he understands and knows Me
that I am the LORD, showing faithful love,
justice, and righteousness on the earth,
for I delight in these things.
[This is] the LORD's declaration.
Jeremiah 9:23-24

A Tiny Hello...

from our sweet baby girl!

What tears of joy I cried yesterday at my Doctor's appointment when I saw Josey's chubby, little hand "waving" at me!  It was the most precious thing!  The 4D Ultrasound is truly amazing.  We tried to get a picture of her face, but she kept covering it with her hands.  We did get this one, which shows her profile and her hand clenched:

They estimated her weight yesterday at around 5lb. 1 oz. She gained over a pound in 2 weeks which is a huge praise since she has a Two-vessel cord.  My C-Section has been scheduled for November 15th, so we are less than 6 weeks away from meeting our sweet blessing from the LORD!  Please continue to pray for Josey and me through these last few weeks, that she will continue to grow, and that I will have strength and energy to make it through each day with the many demands I have upon me.  I am praising God for blessing me with a wonderful husband who takes such good care of me and our family, but most of all praising God for His grace which is sufficient to meet our every need!

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

1 Chronicles 16:11 

29 Weeks and Counting...

I got another sneak peek at our baby girl today at my Doctor's appointment.  She is continuing to grow and they think she weighs ~2lb. 13oz. right now.  We weren't able to get a 3D shot today because she had her face pushed right up against my uterus.  She's already getting squished and we've got about 10 weeks to go! 
I did find out today that I was wrong in assuming no news was good news.  I actually failed the one hour
Glucose Tolerance Test 2 weeks ago, so I will be doing the 3 hour test this Friday, September 9th.  Please pray for God's will.  I am trusting in Him and that He will continue to take care of Josey and me. 
When I shared the news with the kids, the girls were very concerned and worried.  How sweet the LORD is to provide us with life lessons that enable us to share God's promises with our children!  The girls and I have been studying the names of Jesus during school time, and this week we are learning that Jesus is our Rock.  Our verse is:  Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.(Matthew 7:24)  I was able to share with the girls once again how wonderful it is that we serve a God who alone can give us peace and safety when we build our life upon Him.  We can praise Him for allowing us to pour out our prayers and hearts to Him daily, and that He is strong enough to take care of our every need!  He is good and He is faithful!

Rest in God alone, my soul,
for my hope comes from Him. 
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will not be shaken. 
My salvation and glory depend on God;
my strong rock, my refuge, is in God. 
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before Him.
God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:5-8

6 Months Pregnant!

I am a little behind blogging on my pregnancy and Josey's progress!  I truly don't know where the month of August went to! 

Here are some pictures of my baby bump taken by the sweetest 8 year old I know-our Lily!

How far along?: 28 1/2 weeks

Total weight gain?: 18 lbs

Symptoms?: Starting to tire a lot easier by late afternoon and have actually taken a couple of short naps recently which is NOT like me at all!  I am so thankful that we still enforce Quiet Time in the afternoons several times a week in our home with all 4 of our children.  It is a huge blessing for all of us as we all need a little break and time of refreshing!  Also, I'm having more Charlie Horse leg cramps while I'm sleeping at night, along with getting up 3-4 times to use the bathroom!

How big is baby?: ~15-16 inches and ~2 1/2 pounds

Gender?: Girl!

Name?: Josey Hope
*Josey means "God increases"
 Hope means "expectation or belief"

Maternity clothes?: Yes!

Stretch marks?: No-very blessed to not have any at all...yet!

Belly Button?: In right now....barely! It popped out with Katy and Parker!

Sleep?: I am sleeping well, just getting up to use the bathroom.

Energy?: Still have lots of energy in the morning, but losing it by late afternoon!

Exercise?: Does taking care of 4 kids count? :)

Movement?: Most movement is in the late evening when I am finally still.

Food cravings?: Not really craving anything right now, just very thirsty all the time!

What I'm looking forward to?: Holding and loving my baby girl!

Preparations?: We just sold a bunch of things at Picky Chick Consignment Sale and hoping to order bunk beds for the girls' room and bedding for baby Josey!

Labor Signs?: None

Best Moment this week?: Hearing each one of my children separately tell me that they can't wait for baby Josey to be here!  She is going to be very loved for sure!

Here are some ultrasound pictures from my last Dr. appointment that was on August 24th:

 Sweet profile!

Tiny foot!

I am getting spoiled by the Ultrasound Technician.  She is getting some great 3D pictures every time.  Parker carried around this picture for days just staring at it!

So far, she is continuing to grow and her weight and height appear to be just about average ~48%.  This is wonderful news!  Her heart is beating strong and the four chambers look healthy.  Praise the Lord! 
I passed my first Glucose Test and will now be going for appointments every 2 weeks for awhile.  They are still going to keep a close eye on Josey because of her 2 vessel cord which means we'll get a sneak peek at her every visit. 
Thank you for praying for our growing family!

Love this verse that Katy and Parker are learning for AWANA. It's short and sweet, but means so very much!:
...God is love.
1John 4:8

5 Months Pregnant!

Hiking at Spruce Flat Falls

How far along?: 23 weeks

Total weight gain?: 13 lbs
Symptoms?: Charlie Horse leg cramps while I'm sleeping!
How big is baby?: 8 inches (crown-to-rump) and 1 pound  3 ounces
                              *size of a small doll
Gender?: Girl!
Name?: Josey Hope
             *Josey means "God increases"
              Hope means "expectation or belief"
Maternity clothes?: Yes!
Stretch marks?: No-very blessed to not have any at all!
Belly Button?: In right now....barely! It popped out with Katy and Parker!
Sleep?: I sleep very sound (until I get leg cramps!)
Energy?: Finally have my energy back, especially in the morning, and have been "nesting!"
Exercise?: Does taking care of 4 kids count? :)
Movement?: Most movement is in the late evening when I am finally still and during worship time at FBC Powell (She loves the music!)
Food cravings?: slushies, Salt and Vinegar Pringles, chocolate and red meat.
What I'm looking forward to?: Holding my baby girl!
Preparations?: We completely cleaned and emptied out Lily and Maddy's closet (including shelves!) and Jonathan gave it a fresh coat of paint.  We've moved all of Katy's closet in with Lily and Maddy's closet.  We're getting excited about having the three girls all together in one room!
Labor Signs?: None.
Best Moment this week?: I had an ultrasound yesterday (June 27) and received wonderful news!  The two vessel umbilical cord is still present, but Josey had a great weight gain.  In 4 weeks she went from ~9 oz. to now 1 lb. and 3 oz.!  They checked all of her major organs, especially her heart, and they couldn't find anything wrong with her!  Praise the LORD! 

We got some great pictures of her yesterday. 
Here is her sweet profile:

She was acting like such a Drama Queen yesterday!  The ultrasound technician was trying to get her to turn over so she could get a good look at the heart and Josey kept putting her arm on her forehead in distress!  :)

 Here she is trying to play with her toes!

We got a good 3D pic too!  She's still got her arm on her forehead!  But I love her nose and lips-so sweet!

Thank you all so very much for praying for our baby girl!  The Doctor and Nurses were so pleased with my appointment yesterday and I am praising God for wonderful news!  My next appointment is in 4 weeks and we'll again be checking her growth, kidneys, and heart.  Please continue to pray for our Josey Hope and that the LORD will continue to knit her perfectly together just as He imagined her to be!

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
1 Chronicles 16:8

20 Weeks!

Half-way there!

How far along?: 20 weeks

Total weight gain?: 10 lbs

Symptoms?: Nausea when I get really tired.

How big is baby?: ~5.5 - 6.5 inches (crown-to-rump) and ~9 ounces

Gender?: Girl!

Name?: Josey Hope               
Josey means "God increases"
Hope means "expectation or belief"

Maternity clothes?: Yes! 

Stretch marks?: No-very blessed to not have any at all!

Belly Button?: In right now....barely!  It popped out with Katy and Parker!

Sleep?: I sleep very sound but get up 3-4 times to use the bathroom.

Energy?: Finally have my energy back, especially in the morning.

Exercise?: Does taking care of 4 kids count? :)

Movement?: Most movement is in the late evening when I am finally still!

Food cravings?: McD's Mango Pineapple Smoothie (so yummy!), slushies and red meat.

What I'm looking forward to?: Having another little princess!

Preparations?: Making plans of what we'd like to do...but nothing has been done just yet.  Going to be moving Katybug in with Lily and Maddy and turning Parker's room in to a "big boy" room!

Labor Signs?: None.

Best Moment this week?: We've had the best week...it's hard to choose!  But I'd have to say the Fourth of July.  It was Parker's 3rd Birthday, we got to see Lily dance in her first parade and spend the entire day with our family and friends!  Feeling very blessed!

Please continue to pray for our Josey Hope and that the LORD will knit her perfectly together just as He imagined her to be!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

It's a...

GIRL!!!

 A sweet, tiny foot...

Praise God for a healthy baby girl!  We are so very excited that God has blessed our family with another princess!

Her name is going to be Josey Hope.  Jonathan chose her first name and I am excited that she will have the same initials as Jonathan, JHB.  Josey means "God increases" and Hope means "expectation or belief."

Please be in prayer for our baby girl and the rest of my pregnancy.  I was told today that I have a two-vessel cord pregnancy.  During the ultrasound, the sonographer looked for the presence of three vessels within the umbilical cord: one vein (which carries oxygen and nutrients from you to the baby) and two arteries (which shuttle that waste back to you, to be processed and disposed of by your kidneys). Instead of those three vessels, our baby girls's umbilical cord has only two: one vein and one artery. 

I have the most wonderful Doctor and he reassured me that our precious Josey appears to be developing well and that the only women this would cause serious issue with are those that go through Labor and Delivery.  Since I will have a C-Section, we don't have reason to worry about the stress that would be put on our baby during labor.  He is just going to monitor her growth very carefully to make sure she continues to gain weight and that her organs (especially kidneys) continue to develop. Today her weight measured right on schedule and all of her organs are functioning perfectly.  Praise the LORD!  Our next appointment is in 4 weeks and we will have another ultrasound to see our sweet blessing from above.  Pray that God will be glorified through the journey of our baby girl!

Thank you for all of your love and prayers for our family! 

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psalm 127:3

4 Months Pregnant!

Some friends have done this cute idea on their blog during their pregnancies and I thought it would be fun to give it a try it too!

How far along?: 18 weeks

Total weight gain?: 8 lbs

Symptoms?: Nausea by late afternoon/evening and "charlie-horse" muscle cramps in my calves and toes at bedtime.

How big is baby?: ~5.5 inches (crown-to-rump) and ~5.25 ounces

Gender?: We will hopefully find out at our next appointment on June 29th!

Name?:  We have some ideas, but are waiting until we find out the gender.

Maternity clothes?: For about 2 weeks now.  They are much more comfortable!

Stretch marks?: No-very blessed to not have any at all!

Belly Button?:  In right now.  It popped out with Katy and Parker!

Sleep?:  I sleep very sound but get up 3-4 times to use the bathroom.

Energy?:  Finally have my energy back, especially in the morning.

Exercise?:  Does taking care of 4 kids count?  :)

Movement?: This is one of my favorite things about pregnancy.  I started feeling little "butterflies" around 13-14 weeks and around 16 weeks started feeling little kicks!

Food cravings?: Slushies and red meat.

What I'm looking forward to?: Having a little baby in the house again and seeing how our other children react.  Lily is the most excited and I know she is going to be a big help to me! 

Preparations?: Absolutely nothing! 

Labor Signs?:  None.

Best Moment this week?:  Watching Lily's Baptism!

We can't wait until our big ultrasound this coming Wednesday!  Please be in prayer for a healthy baby and pregnancy!

...stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
Job 37:14b

3 Months Pregnant!

I am excited to say that I am 3 months pregnant as of May 22nd!  We are praising God for this little miracle that He has created!  I went to the Doctor on May 18th and heard our precious baby's strong heartbeat by Doppler.  It was around 160 bpm.  Things are progressing well and my due date has been set for November 22nd.  Please keep Baby Buhl in your prayers and that he or she will continue to develop into a healthy baby! 

God thunders with His voice wondrously,

Doing great things which we cannot comprehend. 
Job 37:5

The Work of His Hands!

Our family is excited to announce that God has blessed us with another precious gift from above!  Our sweet blessing is due to arrive in November.  Please join us in praising Him for this amazing little miracle of life and pray for a healthy pregnancy.  God is good! 

Every good and perfect gift is from above.
James 1:17