Briley's room and doctor visit update!!

So Briley's room is pretty much complete!!! I can't believe it is finally done :) The furniture is done (except for a one more coat of varnish), clothes are hung up, and hairbows are in place!

Here are photos from the very beginning to now of her room...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2271393&id=23907899&l=256472732c

Here is a picture of the BEAUTIFUL armoire Daniel and his Dad built
Her letters are hung up now too!!

We are so excited to have her room finished, especially her Daddy!! He has worked so hard, I don't think he will know what to do with himself now that it's all finished...actually he won't have time to think about it because we will have newborn :)

I am 37 weeks 5 days today. My doctor has decided if she is not here by 39 weeks then he will induce on Tuesday, June 9th. Only 10 days away!! It is nice knowing that there is an end date in sight and she will be here then if not before...I can only hope :) Our last visit I was 1 cm dialated and 55% effaced so I think Miss Briley is SLOWLY thinking about making her appearance :) I have one final doctor's appt. this Tuesday so I will have an update then on what's going on.

Congrats to my friend Trish and her new baby boy, David Lee Rice Jr.!! Only myself, Morgan, and Tracy are the last of the pregnant people to pop :)

This is the last week of school and I am VERY excited!! I have had such a wonderful first year of teaching and it is going to be REALLY hard to say goodbye to my kiddos, but it will be exciting to see them as 1st graders next year. Daniel is also almost done with work for awhile...he will be off from the fire station for almost the whole month of June!! I am very excited about him being home and looking forward to having a lot of time together as a new family of 3!!

I hope everyone has a blessed week!!

Love,
Melissa

A sneak peek...

This morning, Daniel and I took our maternity pictures at Southlake Town Square and it was a lot of fun!! Minus the fog, wind, and humidity we had a good time :) My curly hair however did not...I have a feeling some of the pictures will look like I have a mop on my head but oh well, what can you do?

Our photographer sent us a little sneak peek today...

We loved Janice (our photographer) and she will be taking Briley's newborn, 6 month, and 1 year pictures too! She even comes to the house for the newborn pictures so we do not have to pack Briley up and go anywhere while she is so little.

I am 35 weeks today!! Only 35 days until my due date. Tomorrow we have a doctor's appt. and we will start making weekly trips to the doctor between now and when I go into labor!!

I will post updated pictures of her room soon.

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week!

Love,

Melissa

Meet Kristin and Kyle!!

When Daniel and I began the task of finding a private sitter for Briley we (mostly me) were very worried but prayed A LOT that God would find a perfect place for her to be taken care of.

Prayerfully, we did not have to search long! I know a lot of our family and friends (mostly a certain Gigi and Nonnie) are very anxious to see who is going to watch Miss Briley so meet Kristin and Kyle...

Kyle and her adorable son Max, me, Kristin

A little about them...

Kyle Vanderveer is married to the art teacher at my school, Joey. They have a son, Max who was born in November, and he is about as cute as they come! Kyle worked as a teacher at another school in our district and now stays home with Max. Kyle is such a sweet person and you can tell the second you meet her what a caring Christian woman she is. I am so excited for her to take care of Briley and I bet her and Max will have lots of fun adventures together :) (Check out their family blog on my friends list-The Vanderveer's!!).

Kristin Stanton is one of Kyle's best friends and her husband is also a teacher in our district. She has an adorable little girl, Lilly, who is 5, and she is expecting another baby girl, Annabelle, a week before me! Kristin will be home-schooling her daughter this year to keep a faith-centered approach to her learning and I feel so blessed that Briley will be hearing scripture and learning while in her care!! Kristin was also a nanny and you can tell what a passion she has for children and for her faith. We are so lucky that she is taking care of Briley and I know Briley will have a blast with her new friend, Annabelle!

So, once school starts in August, Kristin will watch her M-W-F and Kyle T-TH. If her Daddy is not busy mowing or at the fire station then she will be home with him! Another bonus...they both live in our subdivision!! Daniel and I are so thankful that God has provided a warm, safe, and nurturing environment for Briley and we are thankful to Kristin and Kyle for wanting to take care of our little girl. I was so nervous thinking about leaving her and now God has put a peace in my heart.

Kristin and Kyle we are excited to have you be a part of Briley's life!!

On another note, Happy Mother's Day to all!! This day definitely has a new light shed on it now that I have joined the club :)

I hope to be a Godly and loving Mother to Briley like you are to me...God has blessed me with an amazing Mom. Happy Mother's Day Mom...I love you!!

Love,

Melissa

Blessings for Briley!!

April 18th was the first baby shower for Briley and it was wonderful! It was given by a wonderful group of women (Priscilla Horn, Sarah West, Lacey Franklin, Jamie Cunningham, and Faye Alldredge) that I am so thankful to have in my life! It was so nice to visit with friends and we received so many wonderful and fun gifts!

This past Saturday, was the family shower given by my sweet Aunt Paige, my best friend Tracy, and my cousin Tiffani. It was SO BEAUTIFUL and I am so thankful for all that they did! It was once again a wonderful time of visiting and opening presents to spoil Briley with!

If you click the link below you will see pictures from both occasions. Thank you again to everyone...Briley, Daniel, and I are truly blessed.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2292155&id=23907899&l=69290be8cf

My friend Tracy finished the letters for Briley's room and they are amazing!! I can't wait to hang them above her crib :)

Here are a few updated pictures of her room...

The aftermath from the showers!!

We have ALOT to do!

Her closet is getting pretty full...she won't wear the same thing twice the first year of her life :)

Daniel put the stroller together and Goose and Gracie wanted to help...thank you to Grandma, Pop, Nonnie, and Papa for her car seat/stroller set!

The changing table/dresser is done and ready to be stained! Daniel is working so hard to get everything finished in time...he is planning on starting the last piece of furniture very soon! It has been a lot of work and with his busy schedule he has still managed to do so much...I know Briley will treasure it later that her Daddy built her furniture for her.

I will be 34 weeks on Tuesday :) I can't believe how close it is...yet not close enough! My plan for the next two weeks is get her room back in order and get my bag ready for the hospital.

Congrats to our friends Amy and Brandon...they welcomed their little girl Eleanor into the world a week ago (check out their beautiful family on my friends list...The Cox Family Blog)!! 2 deliveries down (Jamie and Amy) and 4 more to go (Myself, Trish, Morgan, and Tracy). Lots of blessings coming soon!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!!

Melissa