Holiday Season!

WOW! I can't believe the holiday season has already passed us by! Since LT's arrival, time has completely flown by. Thanksgiving we were able to go to IL and spend time with our parents. Laiker was dedicated at my daddy's church and it was such a joy to be able to share him with our "family" up there! God has been so good as to let us keep in touch with our "old friends" and enjoy our new ones as well. We were up there for a little shy of a week and were sad to leave, but stuffed ourselves while we were there - I'm pretty certain that we added a few pounds of weight to our car for the trip home!

Christmas was excellent, we headed to GA to visit my side of the family. It was great to introduce our baby to everyone, although he sure did get pretty sick of being passed around! He did great though and was super pumped about all of the fun new things he got. Well, I am super excited and christmas is so much more fun with a child!! Even though he's only 3 months, watching him grab his toys and smile/coo at family was incredible.

My parents stopped back through on their way home. We were thrilled for the much needed time we got to share with them and are so excited that we will be spending time with Nick's parents this weekend. What a way to ring in the New Year!

They will get here tomorrow and I will hopefully have dinner on the table for them when they arrive. I'm making a Peach encrusted tenderloin with golden mashed potatoes, salad, clover leaf rolls, & a triple chocolate cake for desert! YUM!! Probably another reason to love the holidays - more reason to cook HUGE meals!! I absolutely L.O.V.E. being in the kitchen. REMEMBER: the way to everyone's heart is through their stomach!!

Laiker is such a big boy! Poor guy has been sick for a couple of days and so I took him to the Dr. this morning. He has a viral infection and a possible throat infection. BUMMER! Hopefully he'll get over it soon, I've already seen a TON of improvement in him today. He's a very good baby and so for him to cry over anything except food is unheard of. I do love his little cry, but am so glad I didn't hear much of it today!

We gave him an excersaucer for Christmas and we're so excited that he loves it! He's able to spin around to play with different toys & he can jump in it as well - it's like 3 toys in one! He's amazed with the sounds, lights, & neat toys on it - it keeps him busy for hours. He also got a TON of clothes, books, toys, & pacifiers (which we love receiving since our pup, Chase, thinks it's a good idea to eat them!).

He's weighing in at 14.5 pounds and over 24 inches - he's growing fast, which is so amazing to watch. He's ahead both physically and developmentally. We LOVE that! He is such a blessing. He LOVES to be naked and whenever we change his diaper or his outfit he beings laughing. His laugh melts our hearts! He is seriously one of the happiest babies I have ever met. I'm so blessed and thankful to be his mother.

Nick is still enjoying his work but has a potential new job coming up. More details to come about that later! He is really enjoying fatherhood and spending time with us as much as he can. He's a great father & husband - I'm so thankful for the joy he brings to our home!

We have found a house that we adore. We put in an offer last night and are praying that everything goes through. We know that God's hand is in this and if we do or don't get it, it's for a reason. We are trusting him and have completely given the verdict over to him - fully knowing (heart) that He always has our BEST interest at heart. We should hear by Monday at 4 - so we'll keep you posted!

I think that's all for now - will hopefully get better at this blogging thing!! So thankful for all of you - LOVE YOU!!

HH

Let's Catch You Up!!

My, oh my - it's been like FOREVER since I've written anything on this blog. So my goal with this post is to bring you up to speed with everything and I'm pretty sure it should start with our son's arrival!

Laiker Theron was born on September 17, 2009 at 8:15 am. He was 8 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured 20 1/4 inches long. BIG BOY!! When they pulled him out he seriously looked like a toddler!

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30 that morning for prep. We were both so excited about meeting our son but relaxed at the same time (I realize that sounds crazy!). Our Dr. was running late due to another emergency delivery at a different hospital so he didn't even arrive until 7:45 and our csection was scheduled for 7:30. Even at this, I wasn't upset like I had imagined I would be. When Dr. Barker arrived he talked with us about exactly what would be done and then he prayed over our child's delivery and Nick & I as well. What an incredible thing for a Dr. to do! They wheeled me back and started the spinal block - which didn't hurt at all. PTL! They had me lay on the table and had to give more medicine into the block line to num me since it wasn't working fast enough. Nick & my mother got to come in and they were ready to go. They started cutting at 8:09 - Laiker was pulled out at 8:15. It was the coolest thing to see & feel them pull him out. They let Nick & my momma watch and even pulled down the sheet for me to see as well - little did they know that I could see the whole surgery! There was a light above me that had a reflection, almost like a mirror - so I watched them cut me open, pull my boy out, & stitch me back up! REALLY NEAT!

We went into recovery - I started to feed (without any help!). LT immediately latched on and fed for 25 minutes each side. What a blessing for me to want to nurse and it work out perfectly. The nurses were shocked it worked so well - they rarely see someone succeed at first. They then took little man to the nursery. I was taken back to my room - or at least what would be my room for the next few days.

I waited and waited and waited to see my little boy and be able to hold him again. They FINALLY brought him back to me! It was great to have some time with him. He is beautiful!!

Let's skip forward a bit, we got the opportunity to leave on Saturday - I was told in the beginning I wouldn't leave until Monday - Dr.'s orders. I begged them to let me go on Saturday. He was delivered on Thursday - certainly 2 days was enough. They thought I was crazy, but let us go. BEST DECISION EVER!! We loved bringing our little boy home.

I had been having tooth aches while in the hospital so I went to the denist on Monday - 21 - it turned out that I had an infection involving my wisdom teeth, which meant they had to come out immediately. I also went to the Dr. for my incision because it was leaking and itching and irritated. Needless to say, I had an infection. So two infections, two ends, two problems! On Tuesday, 22 I got my wisdom teeth out - my infection healed up perfectly.

Since then I haven't felt better! Things are great - our little boy started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks. Rolled over at 5 weeks - smiled at 5 weeks - laughed at 7 weeks - holds up his head at 8 weeks. He's absolutely perfect!

!

He's now 12 weeks & happy as can be

Love y'all!

Good lookin' baby!

Our Dr.'s appointment on Monday (8-31) went extremely well. Baby still has enough fluid and I've lost another 1.5 pounds! Meaning I've gained 6 pounds this entire pregnancy....PTL! As for now, our Dr. is just going to continue to encourage us. I did get a copy of my files incase we do go into labor before his "assigned date" so I could give them to the hospital. Hopefully that won't happen - we REALLY want our Dr. to deliver our little boy! We won't be doing any more measurements or checking his weight. He's getting so big that now the Dr.'s only looking for fluid levels and movement when he does our ultrasound, which we still get everytime we go!

We are truly blessed and have only 18 more days left to go until our son arrives. We're doing last minute cleaning around our home preparing ourselves just in case of an early arrival. We still can hardly believe that in 2 1/2 short weeks he'll be here! We're so thrilled that God is choosing to entrust him to us!

Continue to pray for strength, these last days are really tough on my pelvis! Also, a healthy little boy, tolerable pain, & Nick as he has to deal with my emotions! (they're really not that bad, but he's definitely ready to meet his son and have his wife back!).

Lovie Love!

Waiting, waiting, & more waiting!

Just got back from the Dr. with my hubster. It went very well - baby's 6 pounds 2 ounces and still a week ahead of schedule! I got a chance to talk with the Dr. about awful pelvic pain I've been having & he's decided that it's from the accident and previous pelvic damage. My fear in all of this pain has been that carrying the baby another 4 weeks was going to end up injuring my pelvis again - the Dr. is certain that a situation like that would be VERY, HIGHLY unlikely - which was exactly what I wanted/needed to hear! Our son is still growing big and healthy and we're now just waiting for either September 21 to arrive, or my body to go into labor! Which of course if it does, they will be taking him out to avoid any damage. I also found out that the accident pushed my cervis further up, so it's a great thing that I'm all for the csection because if I wasn't, it looks like I would have had one anyway! The Dr. reminds me that the baby's already too big and I'm way to narrow to successfully deliver. What a praise! Please continue to pray for a healthy little boy with fully developed lungs & a healthy rest of the pregnancy for my body & Nick as well! We love you!

34, 2

I am currently 34 weeks, 2 days and am thrilled about that! Even though all that means is that the baby is getting bigger and BIGGER and I'm getting more and more uncomfortable.

The heat is still absolutely ridiculous and I'm hoping that if Nick and I decide to have another we can possibly plan it for sometime other than the summer! (but no worries, we're not looking at that for another 5 years?? ha). I spend most of my time, still, inside with fans and ice. My legs, because of nerve damage, are finally not holding up as well. I think Nick and I both knew this would happen one day, but just not this soon. I have lots and lots of pressure and the baby has already dropped a few inches so that doesn't help much! So all of that meaning I spend my time either in the bed or on the couch with my feet elevated to help prevent swelling!

Our next Dr.'s appointment is May 24 and then we'll only have 4 more weeks until this baby's arrival which is very exciting - I think we're both TOTALLY READY for him to get here! Everything is washed and put away, his diaper bag is packed for the hospital and tomorrow we're getting his car seat installed. HOORAY!

Please continue to pray for a safe pregnancy and healthy baby boy. We have so much going on, MORE DETAILS TO COME LATER, and are definitely walking closely beside our Lord! Pray for no stress this last month as that wouldn't be the best thing. We look forward to sharing more after our next appointment!

Love you!

Our Last Shower!

We had our last shower on July 25. My friends from church, Kristina, Selina, & Rachael threw this for me! It was definitely the best shower we've had!

We got to dress up and wear pretty hats. I almost didn't give mine back at the end of the day! The cake was delicious, presents were incredible, & time with friends - AMAZING! The thing that made this shower so much fun was that - I know this will make me sound awful - BUT this shower was not all about our son. It was more about celebrating this time with me! I LOVED that. It was a whole "From Divahood To Motherhood" theme! And Rachael made THE BEST punch I've ever had!

Little Hendrickson got plenty of fancy things: Outfits, Diaper Cakes, Bibs (we might have 100 now!), Blankets, Books, Diaper Bag, Bottles, Pacifiers, Nursing Pads, Nursing Necessities, Bottle Liners, Bumbo, Baseball Toys, Shoes, Socks, Cds...All kinds of things!

About a week after the shower, Nick and I were able to make our "final" trip to Babies R Us to purchase the left over items from our registry. This included our Carseat/Travel Stroller, Monitor, Excersaucer, Floor Play Mat, Diaper Genie, & a few other randoms we forgot about until that trip! This was a great date night for my hubster and me. We enjoyed shopping together for little man and are finally ready for him to get here (or as ready as we will be!).

I go to the Dr. again on Monday (Aug.10) and will have more updates then!! Love you all -

He's a biggen!

I absolutely LOVE Dr.'s appointments! Went to see Dr. on Monday (July 27) for a check-up since the whole hospital fiasco last week and to make sure we caught something before it sent me in again!

Our little boy looks wonderful! He's already 4 pounds 6 ounces - which puts him in the 87%. He actually gained 5 ounces in 4 days! What a record - he's a biggen! He has a full head of hair and looks exactly like his father - which is perfect. Heart rate's great, movement is insane & his lungs are developing nicely! All great news!

We're looking forward to seeing him on September 21. We love him so much already!

Another friendly hospital visit!

UGH! I honestly wish this pregnancy could be remotely close to a normal one! Apparently that's asking a bit too much.

Saw my Dr. on Tuesday with more vomitting and not able to urinate, and a few cramps with horrible back pain....I was sent straight to the hospital. I want it to be a good thing when I walk down the hospital hallways and a nurse knows my name, but for whatever reason it really bothers me! At least this time there were lots of pretty babies for me to look at through the nursery window. I am thankful our little boy isn't one of them yet.

Dehydration is a problem for my body - our little boy who is about 4.25 pounds already - is still taking every little ounce of EVERYTHING from his mama. This leaves me without and my body is still not coping well. I am hoping that after 2 days of being drowned in fluids my body can raise itself back up next time and that I can stay out of the hospital.

Our new goal for this pregnancy is 35 weeks - that's only 4 more weeks & 2 days away. Our little boy is continuing to thrive and is super healthy - all of which we're proud of! AND, we're thinking he'll be making his debut a lot sooner than we expect!

Please continue to pray for a safe rest of this pregnancy and for continual health and growth for our son.

Pre-term Labor...

Pre-term labor is officially NO FUN! UGH! Thursday afternoon around 2ish, my doctor called just to check in since I wasn't able to see him on Tuesday. He was just letting me know that the other Dr. clued him into what was going on and he wanted to make sure I was feeling okay. I explained that things weren't "great" yet, but sure the virus was running it's course. He asked about contractions as I was describing my abdominal & back pain - my response was, "I really don't know what a contraction is, so I'd hate to tell you I was having them and it just be major stretching that I've never had before!" He understood and was trying his best to describe it - it all sounded right, but we left the conversation at, "I'll call if anything changes".

Sure enough - our friends (slash grandparent figures) came into town to take us to dinner and I started with horrible lower back and lower abdominal pain and a little pink discharge. When they left, I began to cry I was in so much pain - poor Nick felt helpless! I called the Dr. and luckily it was mine that was on call for the evening. I explained what was going on and he told me to go to the hospital.

When I arrived they admitted me to the Labor & Delivery hall and hooked me up to some IVs. They also put the monitors on my tummy to check the baby's movement, heart rate and my contractions. It was neat to get a little taste of what the real thing will be like! I now understand which line means what and exactly what they're looking for while reading it.

Good news was that our son looked WONDERFUL! Bad news - I was in pre-term labor! Contractions had started and my uterus was very unstable. Through testing the nurses found out I was dehydrated so they started fluids through my IV and luckily that helped to stop the contractions. PTL!!! After a few hours I was released to sleep in my own bed.

I was warned that this could happen again, so next time we'll be ready! Our little boy is also one of the most active little ones they've seen in a while! He was constantly moving and his heart rate was up and down just like they wanted.

That was a great start to my 30 weeks! Only 8 more to go and I'm thrilled about that!

Now for some good stuff:

Cravings: Cottage Cheese Doubles (the peach ones!), Bagels
Fetal Movement: ALL THE TIME! He rarely stops kicking around, but is now head down so it's a bit awkward when he gets the hiccups - which happens almost every morning!
Belly: HUGE! He's growing bigger everyday, but luckily at 30 weeks I'm still in my own clothes...I'm all belly!
Sleep: I get a lot of rest, but not a lot of sleep! You're told to sleep on your sides when you're preggers and because of my previous pelvis damage, it's almost impossible for me to do that, but if I lay on a pillow basically on my back - the nerves in my legs freak out and I get even worse back pain! It's almost ridiculous, Tylenol PM might become my best friend!


We're excited that in only 2 more Dr.'s visits we'll have a definite date of when they're taking him. Baby's hungry, so it's time for a snack! Thank you for your prayers and we'll keep you updated!!

YAY for unexpected Dr.'s Appointments!

Since we've last seen the Dr. on my birthday, I've been doing great! Feeling tired, but still great! Last night I started with a fever, crazy pains, & lots of urination...a ton more than normal - 11 times in 8 hours to be exact! With my past history of kidney infections I began to worry and called my insurance nurse to talk with her so I didn't waste my Dr.'s time if it wasn't necessary to. Sweet Debbie talked with me about my symptoms and began to worry with me and said that just because my next appointment was in only 2 days - it was still too long to wait. SO, I called.

I changed my appointment from Thursday (16) to today (14) and for the first time in a LONG time I had to go to the Dr. without my hubby. It was not much fun at all - but they took good care of me! Good news is I only gained 2 pounds, still wearing my regular clothes at 7 1/2 months preggers. What a blessing! The Dr. ran some tests and sent some lab work off to make sure there is no infection. Our little boy has moved into "delivery" position which happens to be directly on my bladder. UGH! What a pain!! He is healthy and such a little presh! I also have extra fluid that I'm carrying which adds pressure and pain to my lower back/abdomin. I ALSO have a virus! They have seen several women in the last couple of days with this mess so we're praying that a bug is the case and not an infection. Pray with us!!

Like I said, baby looks great. I got to watch him for about 20 minutes. He's already started the breathing movements as far as strengthing his chest muscles and it's amazing to see! His heart rate was 160 while active and then 140 when he finally got settled and went to sleep. Everytime we've seen him while he's been sleeping, he puts his hand beside his face to cuddle him - always the right arm/hand. It's adorable and we're looking forward to seeing if he does that after his arrival! I LOVE looking at him - it's absolutely an amazing thing to watch him grow.

Today I woke up and my belly is EVEN BIGGER! This is absolutely insane and Nick and I find ourselves laughing almost everyday and the constant change! We are really enjoying seeing his movements on the surface of my belly. He's constantly gaining strength and we can see that with every movement! They seem to get stronger and stronger - still an active little tootsie.

Only 9 more weeks left and continuing to watch the time fly by! Looking forward to his arrival....

N,H,C & Baby!

Dr. Appointment Update!

Thursday, July 2, was my birthday!! It's funny how birthday's become more and more meaningless the older you get! I did enjoy getting to spend my birthday with Nick at the Dr's office watching out little boy! We got our first 4d ultrasound picture and it's precious. We're thrilled to see him and have a picture that doesn't look like a skeleton!

We didn't do measurements this time since I was there 2 weeks ago, he'll only do those once a month - we go back the 16 and are looking forward to seeing how big our little boy is! We did still look (which the dr. does everytime) to make sure he's still a boy and nothing's fallen off yet! He's healthy and looks incredible. Dr. still comments on how active he is!

Summer's still hot, but I'm learning to just stay inside with my fan. I'm having horrible stretching pains - which I realize is part of pregnancy, but something that no one warns you about! More stretch marks are adding onto my belly everyday - it's so funny that there are many more on my right side than left side, he's got a big head!!

Please continue to pray for strength to carry this baby all the way and patience for the uncomfortablness (made it up!) of it!

Love you,

H&N

hot, Hot, HOT!!!

This weather is ridiculous!! I really don't remember it being this hot last summer - then again, I wasn't preggers either! I have a fan going on in every room and soak my feet in ice water for most of the day. It's a funny thing that when my feet are cold the rest of my body feels good - glad I've realized that this early! I'm definitely trying to stay indoors for the most part, except for the few errands I have to run occasionally - although getting in and out of the car is such a hassle!

I have just gotten over (I hope) a stomach bug. (I'm totally just assuming that's what it was). I was up all night vomiting on Sunday night to the point where my shots wouldn't even help, and woke up feeling achy on Monday. Monday night started to feel a bit better after a day of running errands and Tuesday it set in again in the early morning...woke up this morning feeling disgusting again and called the dr. to see if there was anything I could do and if this was harmful to the baby. Nurse Myra told me not to worry, for now, since baby is still very, very active. PTL! I have to call back if things don't get better but for now I'm doing a lot better. Pray that this continues!

I am 27 weeks tomorrow and can hardly believe it! My husband and I are watching my belly grow daily and LOVE seeing the baby move. It's a very reassuring thing to see that little circus he puts on for us.

Good news on the homefront is that Nick put in a "suggestion" during one of the meetings for the work day to start and end earlier since the weather is so hot and welders can't really weld naked! His thought was instead of working from 7:00-3:30, they start working from 6:00-2:30. Luckily the owner LOVED the idea and the new work schedule officially started today! This means that we will have more time together in the evening, which is such a blessing!

We head off to the dr. next Thursday as long as everything continues to run smoothly and we're praying for that! Can't wait to see how big our little boy is. We can tell he's growing everyday!

Thank you for your prayers,

N, H, C and baby!

Shower #2!

Wow! What an incredible weekend it was! Nick and I drove down to GA for a shower my aunt and some other church friends threw for us and it was amazing. The cake itself was unbelieveable! Mom was able to come spend sometime with us at the shower and visit with some old friends as well.

We got a ton of things for our little boy! We got out swing, pack-n-play, a TON of clothes, infant pouch carrier, buggie protector, hamper, blankets, gift cards, baby's first Bible, thermometer, bottles, bath wash & lotion, pacifiers, paci holders, swimming gear...the list goes on! And let me be the first to tell you that this little one will be totally stylin' next year!

We enjoyed our time down there but are thrilled to be home. We've already put together all of the baby's little toys and are going to enjoy the rest of our night together celebrating what's left of Nick's first Father's Day! What a joy to be able to spend such a special day together in quiet - I'm sure this will be the only one!

Love you all,

Chili's!!

WOW! I've always heard about pregnancy cravings and think, why couldn't they just say no. Well, I've slowly realized that you CAN'T say no to a preggo craving! Nick's learning too that when I say I want something (I promise it doesn't happen to often!) - it means NOW!

This is where Chili's came it. You know they have the most wonderful Southwestern Eggrolls known to man? I had to have one! Well, more like 4!! And their Avocado Ranch dipping sauce - they gave me 4 of those as well!!

The last time I ate at Chili's I was about 15 weeks preggers and had just gotten out of the hospital for the second time. My daddy was in town visiting us and he wanted to treat Nick and I to dinner - Chili's it was and we share the appetizer triple dipper thing. On the way home - I got sick, and when we got home, the vomit continued....SO - ever since then I've really wanted some and my sweet, sweet hubby picked some up for me!!

Thought I'd share my obsession with Eggrolls from Chili's with you!!

Exhausted!

Today I am 24 weeks & 1 day! Hooray!! Although things are going remarkable well for my body (which is a HUGE plus), I am exhausted! I've been "dragging" everyday and every afternoon about 1:45 I have to lay down and take a nap - poor Nick comes home to a sleeping wife and dog EVERY DAY! Hopefully it's just the baby's growth and I'll be back to normal soon. Ever since our church picnic on Sunday - which went GREAT! - my body is just more easily worn out.

Nick's work has picked up a few more jobs which is great security for us! No more worrying about not having insurance when baby T gets here - which is a huge Praise! He's still enjoying himself with a smile on his face! He's not only working hard at work but also at home. We're trying to finish up our little boy's room.

The room is coming along great. We just started hanging the shelf with memorabilia on it and some pictures on Tuesday night and Nick brought home the ladder from work so I could start painting the verse along the top of the wall, kind of like a border. It quotes 1 Samuel 1:27, "I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord gave me what I asked Him for, I give this boy to the Lord." We thought it was perfect! Yesterday, Wednesday, we taped out where some lines were going to be painted and I put some primer up in the shapes I wanted to use so the paint would show up darker. Woke up this morning, Thursday, and painted everything! It really has come together well.

We're trying to get it all done so while I'm at the wedding, Nick can finish painting the dresser that's going in the room. After that, I'll look forward to sewing the bedding and some other fun things with my friend, Kristina!

Baby Hendrickson's movements are more definite and he doesn't stay "down" for long. Little tootsie is ALWAYS moving! It's become a joy to see the routine he's already made for himself. Still loving BBQ and Subway sandwhiches!

The in-home nurse came by yesterday to release me from their services. They let me keep the needle box so I can still take my shots and depose of them properly, which is a blessing! She commented on how great I look, which of course made my day! Who knew the no make-up look could go over so well?! She said it doesn't look like I've gained any weight, I informed her I've only gained 3.5 pounds - which is wonderful! Still carrying high and fitting into my regular clothes and for 6 months, I'd say that's a great thing!

Please continue to pray for a safe rest of the pregnancy and for strength for my incredible husband!

The Hendricksons!

The Nursery!

Last night we decided to finally get a move on with the whole "decluttering" process! When we moved here the end of March - we did what most people would have done with the "extra bedroom"...we threw everything in there that didn't have a "home" yet! We did get A TON done yesterday - which I'm thankful for!

I'm fixin' to start painting next week and am thrilled about that! We've had the paint for about 2 weeks now and Nick's going to put up the shelves (for Cardinal stuff) and this amazing pictures I took of my favorite player (Adam Kennedy, who is sadly no longer with the Cards!). After those are set, I'll start painting. Can't wait to start posting pictures on how everything looks!

Baby T's still kicking around - I'm hoping Nick will be able to feel him tonight, that would be so special! I felt him last night kicking through my belly - which most people say shouldn't happen until you're about 28 weeks and I'm only 23, what a blessing!! (AND A BIG BOY!).

More updates to come!

Shower #1!

Nick & I got to go home this weekend which was such a blessing! We needed the time away and were thrilled to get to see both sets of parents! My best friends, Ashley & Mindi, threw Baby T a shower and since it was Memorial Weekend it wasn't the best turnout - but boy were we surprised with the gifts! There were 7 of our good friends there and let me just share with you some of the exciting things little T got:

Highchair, bouncer, night time nature cd, DVD, bathrobe, 1.5 MILLION bath toys!, crib, craddle, clothes, cardinals blanket (the cutest!), rattles, diapers, diaper cream, washcloths, body wash, shampoo, deluxe car mirro (super cool with a remote!), gift cards, bottles, nursing essentials (thought that was the most polite way of saying that!), basket, sheets, nail clippers, teethers, spoons, bath seat! WOW -- an absolute car load, We were barely able to fit ourselves in our car to ride home! God has truly blessed us with great friends and family who are able to help us celebrate this little boy in style!

We have another shower the end of June and another the end of July! This little one will be set! He is still moving around ALL OF THE TIME! Which I LOVE! It's really the coolest thing. We're finishing the dresser this week - which Nick has stripped, sanded, and we're fixing to paint it and put some new handles on it! After this project we'll start painting T's room - which will be a blast!

Don't go to the Dr. for another 3 weeks and we're looking forward to seeing how big he'll be by then. I still love BBQ and cereal and have had a Subway Chicken Breast Sub with mayo, spicy brown mustard, olives, pickles, onions, lettuce, and sweet peppers the past 2 days for lunch! MAN, I LOVE SUBWAY!!

Anatomy Scan

Went to the Doctor this afternoon and Baby T looks incredible! Dr. checked his heart and brain and face and pelvis...and everything else! He looks good and is measuring ahead of schedule already weighing 1 pound 1 ounce. What a praise!...AND I passed my first urine test! Proteins, key tones...everything looked normal for once.

He's also got some chubby cheeks! I was thrilled that Nick got to come with to see our baby on the screen. Little T is constantly moving - there's no stopping this little guy. Hopefully he'll be pooped out when he arrives! Next Dr's appointment isn't for another 4 weeks - that's a longer break than I've ever had before! Woo Hoo! Things are finally going normally.

Still LOVING BBQ Pork - can't get enough! Looking forward to our trip home for our baby shower and family time. This has been on the calendar for a long time and we're thrilled that it's finally here!

Lovie Love,

N, H, C & T

Kickin' Machine!

This little boy sure is a kickin' machine! Keeps me up most of the night, well that and leg cramps! No one tells you this kind of stuff about pregnancy - probably because if you heard about it, you wouldn't ever have children!

Cravings: BBQ Pork! (Choo Choo's BBQ) and Movies!

Movements: Always on the left lower side of my belly.

Sickness: Not near what it used to be! Headaches occasionally but nothing I can't handle - shots are also helpful for the "not so good" days.

Things to accomplish this week: Laundry (UGH!) and finishing up Baby T's room! I've painted the letters that will hang from colored ribbon above his crib and we bought paint to redo his dresser and to finish the designs for the walls! Very exciting.

We are headed back home for T's first shower. We're excited about spending time with friends and family and are looking forward to the roadtrip time together. Doctor's appointment on Tuesday afternoon for a big ultrasound to make sure that everything looks good with his heart and brain.

More updates to come,

N, H, C, & T!

Wow - it's been a while!

Sorry it's been so long since I've last updated you! Between hospital visits, spider bites, moving, rehoming a dog, and switching internet - there's been absolutely no time!! So let me catch you up!

I'm now 18 weeks (well tomorrow I will be!) and we're having a little BOY! We're both very excited about that. We have a friend from back home that has 3 little boys and she's giving us totes full of clothes~! What a blessing!! We also have plenty of showers lined up - we're going to enjoy visiting with friends during these!

Right now I feel a lot of fluttering, I know it's little poopsie but He's not big enough to feel definite movements yet. (THANK GOODNESS!) We still LOVE our doctor and I'm giving myself Zofran injections - every 4-6 hours (as needed) - for nausea and vomiting and they're keeping me out of the hospital! What a praise~! Poopsie's head is above my belly button right now and he's kind of in an "L" shape - his legs curving under my belly to the left. It's a joy watching him move around on the TV screen while we try to fingure out what is what. Don't know about you - but I'm not very good at guessing what I'm looking at! I thought his hiney was his head...oops! So now I just keep my mouth shut and let Dr. clue us in. We go back in 2 weeks (May 7) to watch our son wiggle around, I'm pretty sure he already has ADD!

We're finally able to enjoy this pregnancy, lost 21 pounds and gained 1/2 a pound back. Still not able to eat a lot, but being able to tell the difference between nausea and hunger is a HUGE plus! Not sleeping the best but I have this HUGE spider bite on my back - well it's on my shoulder blade and keeps getting bigger. I have cream that hubby helps me put on, but it still hurts like the dickens! Other than that, life's going pretty good! Still very much in love with my husband and already in love with our son! Can't wait to meet him.

OOOOOOO, and I did laundry yesterday...BY MYSELF!! WOO HOO!

N&H and Baby T

Gross side of Pregnancy - WOOF

Well, it's finally happened! I've started the "fun" part of this pregnancy...morning sickness - well actually mine is more like afternoon, night, & then all day sickness. I know it'll be worth it, but geez! No wonder people limit the amount of kids they have, it's not necessarily the money - it's the nausea!

I go to the doctor on Wednesday and so we'll see what he has to say. His response will be, "It's completely normal", I'm sure of it! My problem is that I know it would subside a bit if I could get some food in my stomach - but since everything comes up, it's kind of hard to help myself!

Praying this won't last the whole 7 more months!

N&H

Hooray!

Hooray! I heard back from the doctor a couple of days ago and found out that my levels look great! They've more than doubled...which I guess means blood work isn't so bad! I go back next Thursay - Feb.5 - to see little poops again!

We weren't thrilled with the first home we looked at, although it was offered to us last night! At least we know we have some where to live if all else fails! We are going to look at another house on Friday night - to compare and see if it's a little more of what we're looking for. We're still hopeful!

Still no morning anything! I feel great, a little tired...but I'd rather have that than anything else - PTL! We're still missing everyone more than ever - and pray for you often!

Lovie love,

N&H

Blood Work - UGH

When I went to the doctor on Thursday, I had to have some blood work done to make sure how far along I was and to make sure that my levels were good. That did worry me, I won't lie to you! BUT, sweet little nurse, Myra called last night to let me know that my levels looked great! Baby is fine.

They've already scheudled some more blood work for this morning at the hospital just to compare and make sure that the baby is growing correctly! Let's just hope the blood nurse knows what she's doing and can get me in one stick! I might possibly have the WORST veins ever!!

Lovie love,

N&H, C&C

House Shopping

We are now in the process of figuring out where we are going to live, now that our family is getting a little bigger! We have some friends who have a house that we might be able to rent. This is our only option with the dogs, otherwise we would have to find our little princes a new home (I cry just thinking about it!) - a one bedroom apartment is not good for 5 Hendrickson's! Please be in prayer as we go look at the house this weekend. If it's for us, great!! If not, please pray that we'll be given a peace about what to do.

Still no symptoms or discomforts -- PTL!!! (Praise the Lord!)

Lovie love,

N, H, C & C!!

We're Preggers

Yesterday, I found out we were having a baby! I took a pregnancy test and it sure enough popped up a plus sign out of no where! Who knew?! I couldn't wait to share the news with Nicholas. He got home from work and I gave him his present. I had wrapped up the preggo test and a pacifier! He was grinnin' from ear to ear, and then asked if I was kidding...I think he's excited! ha -- He is, he'll be a wonderful father! Still in the shock stage, since this wasn't planned, AT ALL! We are thrilled that God has given us this little poops and can't wait to see it!

I went to the doctor this morning, who is FABULOUS! I fell in love with his nurse, who is the kindest lady I've ever met! Absolutely perfect for her job...what a blessing this journey is already! I spent some time talking with the doctor about past surgeries - the list was LONG! - and he shared with me some initial thoughts of his. We did a ultrasound and we had already discussed me being about 8-9 weeks along, and it turns out that I'm only about 5! More time to buy things for this little larva. Sometime in September we will be showing off our little offspring! It'll be here before we know it.

Please keep us in your prayers. We want this to be a healthy & safe pregnancy. For once this is a GREAT medical issue to have!!

We are truly blessed,

N&H!

AND yes, we will be finding out what it is as soon as we can!