A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Last weekend we took Karis to her 1st pumpkin patch! She LOVED it! I wasn't sure if she would stay awake or not, but she surprised Mike and I both and was awake the ENTIRE time. We got some really sweet pics of her! I think her daddy and I had just as much, if not more fun than she did!

Psalm 55:22

"Cast your burden on the Lord, And He will sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved."

I was reading my Bible and praying this morning and this scripture just jumped out at me. I felt really impressed to share it.

sustain - from the word chul- "to maintain, to nourish, to provide, to bear, to hold up or support, to defend by His strength, to supply the means necessary for living"

God knows your need, your situation, and has the ultimate power to sustain you if you'll let Him!

2 Months, a Job, and a Full Night's Sleep

Karis is two months old! She's changing ad growing so much! Last Thursday night she slept all night long! I never thought that a full night's sleep would feel so good!

I had to start back to work last Tuesday. It was so hard going back! I started crying about it about two weeks before I had to actually go back, and the night before I bawled and bawled! Leaving Karis at the daycare was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do!

I really enjoy all of the people I work with, but if I had the choice to stay at home with Karis, I would jump on it! I do have to say, though, that I have been extremely blessed with the most awesome co-workers. Everyone is so understanding and uplifting! They've been a huge help! I also get to keep Karis on campus at the daycare at my school. It's really nice because I still get to go and nurse her and hold her on my breaks. I also prayed and prayed that Karis would have a good teacher, and I got what I prayed for! Ms. Debbie is so kind and she just loves on the babies like they were her own. Here's a picture of Karis getting ready to go to school.
My parents came through two weekends in a row to visit. It was so good to see them! I really miss my family, and I wish that we lived closer so we could hang out more. Karis just loves her grandparents! Of course they spoil her silly by the time they leave. :) I was also able to get caught up on my housework thanks to my mom! She helped me a ton this past weekend! I finally got caught up so hopefully keeping it clean won't be so hard now that I'm back at work.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

It's been raining for days! It was nice the first 2 days or so, but it got old fast. It did rain hard enough that we lost internet service, so I haven't been able to post anything. But, We finally have our internet back after days of bordem. Karis and I didn't have too much to do, but "talk" to each other and ponder things.

She's starting to jabber a little bit, which is so cute! You can tell she's wanting to talk so bad! I love the fact that she's starting to develop a personality. She's such a happy baby and smiles a whole lot. It just melts my heart every time I see her big smile!

She also loves music! (A baby after my own heart!) Worship music seems to be her fav right now. She loves the mix that I made her. We sing 'Jesus Loves Me' a whole lot, but we exchange the word 'me' for 'Karis' and she just grins from ear to ear! It's so precious!

It's Sunday!

" This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it." ~Psalm 118:24

Whew! - 1 Month Already!!!

Karis is already 1 month old! Time has really flown by! She has been such a joy & a blessing; a lot of work too!I apologize for not posting sooner. I feel like such a bad mom! The surgery, along with adjusting to having a newborn, was a little harder to handle than I imagined. I guess I'm not superwoman after all!

Here are some pics of her from the past few weeks.

The past few weeks we haven't done a whole lot: eat, sleep, change diapers, repeat. We did get to go to Amarillo for a quick trip. And - we started walking this week. We've also tried to get Karis on a good nap & feeding schedule. If you haven't read the book Baby Wise, I would highly recommend it. I think that this schedule that I got from the book is going to work out pretty good. I'll let you know here in a couple weeks.

Little Karis is getting more and more of a personality every day. She's pretty much a happy baby, except when she's tired or has a gassy tummy. I love the fact that she smiles a lot already! (She even smiles in her sleep.) Here's a picture of what I woke up to one morning last week. I was awake; Karis is still asleep. Isn't that just precious!

Introducing. . . . .Karis Brionne Vennell!

After much anticipation & 20 hours of labor plus a c-section she's finally here! We proudly introduce the most beautiful baby girl ever, born on August 3, 2009, Karis Brionne - 7lbs. 1 oz. - 19 inches long.

We're all doing good, but are still resting and recouping. We have tons of pics to share, so there'll be much more to come! Thank you for all your prayers! Mike & Leslie

STILL NO BABY!!!!

I'm almost half way through my 39th week of pregnancy & still no Baby Karis! I wasn't supposed to make it this far, but I guess the doc was wrong. :( My first due date was July 31st, which is only about 4 days away, so hopefully I'm on the home stretch! I've been praying, well more like begging, God everyday that today would be the day. I do want God's perfect timing and will for Karis, it's just so hard to be patient! You would think this is a test or something! :)

My doctor appt was on last Thursday. I was still dilated the same, but the doc said that the Karis' head was just right there and that my 'bag of waters' was bulging and would probably break on its own. I'm really excited about that one, seeing how I'm not very fond of the idea of using a crochet needle to break it for me! Ouch!!!

My mom has been staying with me for the last week or so. We have been having so much fun! It's helped a whole lot having her here! It makes me feel more secure knowing that I have someone with me in case my water breaks and Mike is at school. We've been doing lots of shopping, watching movies, cleaning house, and making jewelry for Karis. She's already a blessed baby! Tons-o-fun!!!

The rest of my family drove down again this weekend again just in case I went into labor. I feel so sorry for them having to travel 350 miles one way to get here and then another 350 miles back! But, I do feel extremely blessed that they are sacrificing money & time to try and be here when Karis comes. It means so much to Mike & I!

This outfit is what we're thinking of bringing Karis home from the hospital in. What do you think?

Well, if you think about it, keep us in your prayers. Pray that Karis would make her debut this week! Also, keep Mike in your prayers. With all the baby excitement, he still has school, tests, and finals start in a week and a half. He's been trying so hard to keep everything up, but it has been hard for him to really concentrate how he needs to. We need him to keep it up!

False Alarm! :(

Yesterday morning we had a false alarm!

I started having contractions every 3 - 5 minutes late Sunday night, and by the wee hours of Monday morning they had gotten closer together and longer in length. They were every 2 minutes for about 90 - 120 secs each. We went back and forth on what to do because I couldn't really feel them very well. Sometimes I knew I was having them, and other times I had to ask my husband or my mom to feel and make sure it was contraction. So, to be on the safe side, we headed up to the hospital to get checked.

We got there, got hooked up to the monitor, and sat for 2 hours! My contractions were the same and then a little stronger. I was 50% effaced, but my dilation had not changed since last time I was checked! My water is still in tact, but I did lose my plug. The nurse was a little puzzled, but said that everything looked fine so not to worry. My blood pressure was still about the same (106/68), the baby's heart rate was normal, and Karis was really active. Needless to say, I was sent home!

It's a bit disappointing! My whole family was here. It would have been the perfect time for Karis to make her entrance! We got all excited and then nada! Hopefully I'll start dilating more & fast! I guess God is still putting the finishing touches on Karis. We want her to come at God's timing for her, not our own time even though it would be nice to have her sooner than later!

No Baby Yet! :(

It's Monday & no baby Karis yet! This waiting around stuff is for the birds!!! It's so, so hard to be patient right now! Here in the metroplex my neighbor's thermometer says 107 degrees outside. They've been coming over to check on me, and to make sure that our air conditioner is working good. It is thank goodness!!

All I've done lately is stay in the house. I'm beginning to feel like a hermit. I don't think I've been out of the house except to go to church on Sunday, and to Wal-mart & Target today. It's just too hot to be out and about. Tonight I have a chiropractor appt., and Weds. is my next obgyn appt. Hopefully I won't have to go to the obgyn appt on Weds. :) I've been praying my guts out that things will start happening soon!

I think that I've gotten everything ready to go now. My bag is packed, Karis' bag is ready, I've already cleaned the house like 4 or 5 times, I've sprayed for spiders (with a mask), gotten all the laundry caught up, the baby book is up-to-date, finished making bows, the nursery is done, and we just finished our birth plan last night. What else is there to do?? I've been trying to busy my self by reading books, soaking in the bathtub, exercising, and wandering mindlessly through the Internet for recipes to make your own baby lotion, wipes, & powder, etc.

Well, I think that you could say I am officially bored!!

Fun stuff I forgot to share. . .

I forgot to show off pics of my diaper tote. It's so cute! Some ladies that I work with had it monogrammed for me with Karis' name & the cutest little elephant! I also got a great accessory! Isn't the diapees & wipees case just adorable!

Doc. Update!

Yesterday I went to the doctor, & all is looking great! Karis is still head down and in postion, & heart rate and blood pressure are still good. I'm also already dialated to a good 3, almost 3 1/2! Hopefully it won't be too much longer!!! I'm praying for this weekend. It might be wishful thinking, but I'm ready! We have pretty much everything ready to go, so I've just been doing little things here and there to keep myself busy. It's so hard to be patient at this point!

My family is having fun trying to guess the date she'll arrive. So, I thought it would be fun for everyone to vote on it. Put your guesses on the poll to the right!

Beating the Heat

Yesterday we FINALLY had a break from the awful heat! We had a light, steady rain for most of the day. It was wonderful! The few days before we're a little steamy with temps reaching 105 on Saturday. Yuck! So, I had to keep myself busy inside. (Most of you know that in the summer I love to be outside, but being 9 months pregnant, I can't really handle it as well.)

Here's some projects that I finished:

1. Bow - o -rama

I probably went a little overboard, but didn't really realize it until I counted how many I made. I made 14 clippies, 21 bows, and 6 headbands. Ooops!



2. Finished up the beginning of Karis' baby/scrapbook.



3. Did an at-home-spa day! I loved this one the most! I made an avocado/egg hair mask, an all over body exfoliant, and did a mani & a pedicure. It was pure bliss!

4. Got my postpartum belly wraps in! I'm really excited about this one. It helps hold your separated stomach muscles together for a faster healing time. It is also supposed to help your uterus shrink back down to its pre-prego size quicker. The only catch is you have to wear them for 40 days/nights.

5. We started on the rocking chair project, but it was way harder than expected. It will have to get done little by little when it's cooler outside.

6. Almost packed for the hospital!

Happy Independence Day!!!

I love the 4th of July! It's so much fun with all of the good food, watermelon seed spitting, family, friends, and fireworks! It's also such a great time to remember how blessed we are as a nation, and what our freedom cost.



To all of you that have served or are currently serving our country, law enforcement, and any type of civil servants that protect and guide us, THANK YOU!! Most of all, we need to thank God for the tremendous blessings and freedom that we experience everyday here in America. We also need to take this time to repent for our nations downfalls and pray that the leaders of our nation would have ears to hear what God is speaking and follow the direction of the Lord for this country.



So, with all that said, you and your family take some time today and thank God for all the blessings & freedoms that we have in this AWESOME country! God Bless the USA!!!!



Also, here is a great video. Enjoy!

The Last Week or So. . .

This last week or so has been full of things!

1. My parents and aunt & uncle stopped by for a quick visit on their way to help my brother & sister-in-law move back to Amarillo. It was a lot of fun, but I wish that they had been able to stay more than just one night!

2. This last week, my friend, Katy, came for a visit while she was working market in Dallas. We had a great time just being able to catch up and talk. She gave me some great pointers for how to deal with the hospital when it's time for Karis to come, too! Girls nights are so fun!

3. I started, and mostly completed, many projects.

A. I decided not to do the traditional baby book. Instead, I'm doing a scrap baby book. I got some ideas out of baby books I'd seen in the stores and did only the pages that I really liked. Then I'm also going to do scrapbook pages of pics & stuff. I'm thinking that I'll probably only do it until Karis' 1st birthday. (I tend to get burned out on scrapbooking real easy.)

B.The nursery - well, it's pretty much completed. Here are some pics so far.

C. I'm going to give making headbands and hair bows a try. Well, see. . . I'll keep you updated.

D. The rocking chair - We found a great little rocking chair, but we're going to strip the varnish and paint it white to match the other furniture in the nursery. Don't worry. When I say "we", I really mean Mike. :)

E. Lastly, well for right now, all I need to do is get my hospital bag packed and pick out a coming home outfit for Karis. I can't believe it's getting so close! Oh - My doctor thinks that Karis will probably come a little sooner than the 31st. We're thinking maybe around the 15th or so. I'm so glad!

One more thing - Keep praying for rain here in the metroplex! It's been so ridiculously hot!!! We reached 104 on Saturday, and then on Sunday we had a "cool front" come in at 100. We did get a little bit of rain on Monday, but not enough to really cool things down. Pregnant or not, 104 is just too hot!!!

Prepping

With only a little over a month left until we get to meet Karis, I've been trying to "prep" Mike for all things girly. (i.e. dresses, matching hair bows, the color pink, mini skirts, accessories, etc.) I saw this video and it was just too cute! I showed it to Mike so that he might have an idea of what's possibly in store for him in the future. Enjoy!

"Are All Women Born This Way?"

7 1/2 Weeks Left!

I can't believe I only have 7 1/2 weeks left!! Mike & I are so pumped to meet Miss Karis! Last night we were talking about Mike's birthday coming up, and when she heard us say birthday, she started kicking and moving like crazy! I guess she's just about ready for her birthday! I've also been emailed and had messages left for some updated belly pics. So, here's the update!

The 1st one is me at 5 months, and the 2nd is me at 8 months.

High School Memories Tag

I was tagged by Jenifer. Here it goes!

1.Did you date someone from your school? Yep. Jerad, for reasons still unknown.

2.What kind of car did you drive? I first drove the ghetto Honda, but then I was redeemed and drove a Chrysler Conquest. It was so fun & fast! I do have to admit to racing it a couple of times. :)

3.Were you a party animal? Nope. I went to parties, but "animal" doesn't really describe me.

4.Were you considered a flirt? I don't think so. I hope not!

5.Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Choir for a while.

6.What was your most embarrassing moment? I really can't think of one.

7.Were you a nerd? Probably. I still kind of am. ;)

8.Were you on any varsity teams? soccer & cheerleading

9.Did you ever get suspended or expelled? Didn't come close!

10.Can you still sing the fight song! Uh. .yea! Probably in my sleep!

11.Who were your favorite teachers? I liked most of them. Can't really name just a few.

12. What was your school's full name? Randall High School

13.School mascot? Raiders

14.Did you go to homecoming? With who? Usually I went stag because I was cheering, but I did go once with Jerad.

15.If you could go back and do it again, would you? Nope. High school was fun, but I'm glad to have moved on!

16.What did you remember most about graduation? I remember thinking that I might not ever see some of my classmates again.

17.Were you in a club? Yes. Way too many to list out.

18. Have you gained weight since then? Yep. Gained then lost, and now pregnant.

19.Who was your prom date? Jr. year: Brian Evans, Sr. year: Jordan Jackson
Both were a lot of fun!

20.Are you planning on going to your 10 yr. reunion? I planned to, but then was unable to make it!

21.Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Just have fun and don't hold back!

Now I tag these people: Brandy, Colleen, Kendra, & Jennifer T.

Whew!!

The last month has been super busy! I've been to Amarillo & Corpus, had 3 showers, a graduation, went to a nursing class, moved my classroom for next year, and started on the nursery. So, needless to say, my blogging has slacked just a bit!


Shower #1:

Here are some pics from the baby shower in Amarillo. It was awesome! We were so blessed by people's generosity!!! Karis definately will not lack anything!

Shower #2:

My 3rd grade class also threw me a shower at school. It was so sweet! They worked real hard on keeping it a secret. I was so suprised and taken back by how kind & giving they were. We got so many cute outfits and tons of diapers!!! I have the best 3rd graders in the world!!!! (Sorry. No pics of this one! Privacy issues.) :)

Shower #3:

The 3rd grade team of teachers that I work with also threw me a shower. It was so great! The people I work with literally "showered" me with gifts! Mike & I were so blown away by all of the great stuff we got! (I haven't gotten the pics from this one yet.)

My brother also graduated from college this last month. We are so proud of him for going back and finishing after taking a hiatus to play minor league baseball & get married. Way to go brotha!

I went to a nursing class about a week ago at the hospital that I'm going to deliver at. It was a little different. Not really what I expected. I kind of cracked up a little because we had to practice the "positions" with baby dolls. My fav: the football hold. You literally hold the baby like your a running back dashing down the field trying to score. It was a little awkward! I thought it was also a little ironic that we got these free gifts when the class was over that contained cans of baby formula. Hmm. . .

Finally, I got the crib bedding in! Here's a pic of what it looks like. (This is NOT Karis' room.) I haven't gotten to finish the nursery yet, so pics of that will come later!


I can't believe I only have about 7 1/2 weeks left until Karis gets here! This pregnancy has gone by so fast & has been so much fun! I might be crazy, but I like being pregnant! I've been very blessed to have no sickness, swelling, or complications of any kind! It's been pretty sweet! Karis has also been head down the whole time, thanks to my wonderful husband adjusting my round ligament every other day. Thank you, babe!