Update

This blog post is long overdue and it probably will be short and sweet. I've decided that more than anything I try and keep up with my blog for me. I like to be able to go back and look at what's been going on in our lives and especially the lives of our kid(s). 


London will be 9 months old on July 31st! He is into EVERYTHING! He is crawling all over the place and pulling up on things and standing. He gets so excited when he stands up. It's SO cute! He still only has 2 bottom teeth and nothing more. He has pretty much loved everything I have given him to eat so far. A few weeks ago he had his second ear infection and when we went to the Dr. he weighed 17lbs. We will go for his 9 month appointment on August 6th so I will be able to update more after that. London is still such a happy and laid back baby. He laughs all the time and loves to wrinkle his cute little nose. He is sleeping very well through the night and typically takes a morning and afternoon nap. :) 


Today I am 14 weeks, 5 days pregnant with baby number 2! Baby number 2 is the size of an orange this week and is due on January 21st. I went for my 3rd appointment today and we got to hear baby's heartbeat for the first time and it was 160 bpm. We will find out on August 23rd what we are having! I am guessing girl. 


Well that's all of the updating I am going to do for now. 


Until next time....

Six Months.

Oh. My. Goodness. I feel as though London has changed so much over this past month. I took off work last Monday so that I could take him to his six month check-up. I haven't been to one of his doctor visits since his one month check-up. It meant a lot for me to be able to take him this time. Per usual, London looked very healthy and he looks to be growing just as he should be. He weighs 15 pound, 12 ounces and is in the 10-25% for his weight. He is 27 inches long and is in the 75% for his height. He had to get 3 shots at this appointment which of course was probably more traumatizing for me that it was for him. He cried for a few minutes and the nurse gave him a little squeaky toy for being such a big boy. :o) Our pediatrician gave us the go ahead to start giving London baby food. So far this week we have introduces oatmeal cereal, green beans, and squash and London has liked them all! I seriously cannot believe that my baby is big enough to be sitting in a high chair and eating baby food. Time is going by way too quickly! Speaking of time going by quickly...I am hoping that the next 4 weeks goes by quickly! That's right, only 4 weeks left until school is out for the summer!!!!!!!!!! I cannot even contain my excitement! I am so looking forward to all of the quality time I will get to spend with my little family. Thanks for reading! Until next time...


Hugs, Meredith 

Picture Update!

I have not done well in the way of updating lately. It always that keeping up with my blog just slips away from me. London will be 6 months old 2 weeks from tomorrow! I can hardly believe it! He is at such a fun and entertaining age right now. He is rolling over (back to front) and trying to sit up. He has two tiny teeth on the bottom, right in front. He is still a very happy baby both day and night. He sleeps through the night still and is an all around easy going little guy. This morning we had him dedicated at church and all of our family was there to celebrate with us! It was such a special day! We will be headed to Orlando, FL next Sunday for a week long trip with a few other couples from our church. There is a conference we will be attending while there. Below are a handful of pictures from the past month or so. I will update again after we have London's 6 month check up. Enjoy!

Happy baby playing at aunt Lyssa's.

Dad dressed me up in this cute outfit.

Taking a break from our 11 hour road trip to St. Louis. London wanted to test out the front seat while mom was in the gas station.

First Easter! (He really was happy, I promise!)

Mom and London. <3

Cousins hanging out! Love them!

Playing hide and seek with Dad.

Pool day.

After London's baby dedication.

Yay, I got dedicated today!

Four Months.

Today London went for his 4 month check-up. Once again, he checked out perfectly! He is in the 25-50% for his weight, weighing in at 14 pounds and 4 ounces. He is in the 75-90% in height, measuring 25 5/8 inches long. His pediatrician was very impressed with how well he could sit up and also keep control of his neck and head. He has to get 2 shots and Justin said he only cried for a minute and as soon as he picked him up London was all smiles again. :)

I really cannot say it enough how blessed we are. London is such a happy and easy going baby. He smiles and giggles all the time now which is just the cutest thing in the world! He has found his feet...rather foot. He only holds on to one foot so far and it is the same one every time. So cute! He is still sleeping through the night...YAY! He typically sleeps for about 8-9 hours. I could write SOOOOO much more about all of the cute, amazing, funny, silly, crazy things that London does but that would take alllllll night. This mama needs to get some rest. I will try and post some more pictures on my next update. But let's be honest, I already post a ton a pictures on Facebook so you can check them out there. :)

Hugs,

Meredith

Three Months.

I cannot believe that my baby will be 3 months old on Tuesday. I feel like we just brought him home from the hospital. He is still a very laid back baby with such a sweet personality. He is sleeping through the night most nights now and is awake a lot more during the day. He has started staying with my sister two days a week and has so much fun "playing" with his cousin Brooklyn. Here are some recent pictures of my cutie pie! Enjoy!

London and his girlfriend Wake.

Clean baby!

Such a sweet face.

Cousins chillin in their carseats.

Happy boy!

YAY! I'm SO CUTE!

Holding on to mommy.

Two Months.

I thought I'd take the opportunity to write a quick update while little man is snoozing. It's hard to believe that London was two months old on December 31st! This had been the most amazing two months of my life. Justin and I have felt so blessed with all of the love and support we have received from our family and friends.

We had a wonderful Christmas and got to spend a lot of time visiting with my family. We stayed in town and spent Christmas day with my mom, dad, Blair, Lyss, Joseph, and Brooklyn. It was so nice to be able to relax without having to do a lot of traveling. We did miss seeing Justin's family, but we got to spend time with this past weekend which was great. I am so looking forward to next Christmas with a little one year old! :)

Of course like every good thing, it must come to an end. This past Monday I went back to work and I will say that this week has been one of the most difficult. I miss London and Justin so much during the day. I am really trying to have more of a positive attitude about going to work everyday, but it will take some time. Justin is keeping London during the day, which is a huge blessing! I am so blessed with such an amazing man. Alyssa will start keeping London for two days out of the week starting the week after next. Justin is going to be working at the church office on those two days.

Justin took London to his two month check up today and everything is looking great! London weighs 11 lbs and is in the 25-50 % for weight. He is 23 1/2 inches long and in the 75% percentile for height. He had to get two shots and has been a little cranky, but as soon as he is being cuddled he is perfectly content. I love my little boy more than anything and I am so grateful to God for giving us this blessing.

Until next time...

Hugs,

Meredith

One Month.

As I'm sitting here watching London sleep, I can't help but wish these past 5 weeks would have gone by a little slower. It feels like just yesterday I was holding him for the very first time. To think that he is already a month old blows my mind. Yesterday we had London's one month check up and everything looked great. He weighed 8 lbs and 15.5 oz and he measured 21 3/4 inches long. He also rolled over (back to front) twice while we were at the doctor's office. His pediatrician said he was being a little show off since that was the first time he had done that. ;) He also had to get a shot which completely broke my heart! As soon as it was over I scooped him up into my arms and held him as tight as I possibly could. Although I hated more than anything to see him in pain, it was an indescribable feeling knowing that I could bring him such comfort. Today we took London to have his picture made with Santa at Northlake mall. I was excited that he was actually awake for the picture! Of course, as soon as the picture was over he went right back to sleep. London has been such a good baby from the moment he was born. He is so laid back and really only cries when he is really hungry. He usually goes between 2-3 hours in between feedings during the day and between 3-4 hours at night. I am still breastfeeding, but we have also started supplementing some formula. London does really well with both. This makes things a lot easier, because Justin can help with feedings. Tomorrow we are heading to the beach to visit grandma and grandpa for a few days. The rest of the family will be coming on Friday/Saturday and we will be celebrating grandpa's 80th birthday. I'm really looking forward to being there and having some time to relax with no agenda before I go back to work. Speaking of going back to work, Monday is the day. I will work the entire week next week and the two days (teacher workdays) the following week and then will be out until January 2nd for Christmas break. Even though I'm only going back for a week, I am still feeling sad and anxious about returning to work. I don't want to leave London. I know that it is going to be a difficult transition, and I'm just trying to prepare myself for that. I know I will cry, a lot. But, I also know that God will carry me through and He will give me the strength I need. For anyone that is reading this, I would greatly appreciate your prayers. Well, I am going to feed little man and then head to bed. I will end with some pictures of my sweet boy. Until next time...

Hugs,

Meredith

Happy Halloween!

I'm finally getting around to posting about baby London! I'm not sure how long this post will end up being because the little man is going through his first growth spurt and may need to be fed soon.

Let's start at the beginning...

Justin and I arrived at the hospital on Sunday, October 30th around 6:00 PM. We checked in and within the hour the Dr. came in and gave me cervidil, which would work to soften my cervix overnight. This was quick and painless, and all that was on the agenda for the night. I was hooked up to the fetal monitor which would continuously monitor my contractions as well as London's heart rate. I was also attached to a blood pressure cuff that checked my blood pressure every 15 minutes. An IV was put in, but nothing would be hooked up to it until the next morning. My mom, dad, Blair, Alex (her bf), and Justin's mom all stopped by to visit that night. Around 11:00 PM I was given an ambien to help me sleep. I honestly don't think I slept a single hour that night. With all of the attached cords, my blood pressure being checked, and having to unhook the cords to get up and go to the bathroom multiple times, it was quite an uncomfortable night.

The next morning I got up and showered and was given pitocin through my IV around 7:00 AM. I was not in a lot of pain and was not having very strong contractions at that point. My Dr. came in around 8:30 or so and broke my water and checked to see if I was dilated. At that point I was 2 cm and he gave me the go ahead to get an epidural whenever I wanted it. Needless to say the anesthesiologist showed up about 30 minutes later to administer the epidural. To make a long story short and to spare you from all of the gory details, my epidural had to be administered twice because it didn't work the first time. All day long my epidural kept wearing off, about every two hours. We think it was because of the placement of the epidural in my back. So, after being in and out of comfort all day long, at about 8:15 PM my epidural had worn off completely and there was no getting back. I was 9 cm at that point and I started pushing at 8:30. I pushed for about and hour and 20 minutes and I felt everything! It was brutal! Justin was such a great coach and I had some amazing nurses to help me through. At 9:48 PM on October 31st, 2011 it was all over and all worth it when I got to meet my little boy for the first time. Justin and I were so overwhelmed with love for this little guy from the moment we laid eyes on him. London Starr Evans weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 20 inches long.

London is 2 weeks old now and we have loved being at home as a little family. Minnie loves her little brother so much and she is doing great with him. Of course it has been an adjustment for all of us, but we are settling in to a routine now and we are enjoying every minute of being new parents.

I am going to try and be diligent about updating my blog with posts/pictures as often as possible.

Until next time....

xoxo,

Meredith

3rd Trimester Survey.

How far along? 38 weeks, 3 days

What was the first thing you bought for your baby? A cute little outfit for $3.00 at a consignment shop!

Total weight gain/loss? I'm not sure of the total, but over the last month I have lost about 1-2 pounds.

How are the maternity clothes? Any kind of clothing, other than pajamas, are pretty uncomfortable at this point. I am ready to fit in to "normal" clothes again. However, I am so grateful for all of my friends who have let me borrow/have their maternity clothes so that I didn't have to buy too many.

Stretch marks? Yes and Yes! Also dealing with PUPPP...itchy, itchy.

How’s the sleep? I have been sleeping pretty good for the past week. Justin has moved to the couch, leaving the bed for me, Minnie, and London. Neither one of us were sleeping all that well, and although we don't love sleeping separately, we are both getting much more rest.

Best moment this week? Having my family over for dinner/spending quality time with them.

Movement? He moves a lot! Most of his movement comes at night, however there are multiple times during the day where he doesn't seem to slow down.

Have you taken a birthing class? Yes, we took them back in September.

Type of delivery you’re planning on? Hopefully a smooth and quick one!

Biggest change in your body besides belly? Having gestational diabetes/high blood pressure are both changes I have had to adjust to.

Food cravings? Nothing too specific still. I do love my nightly ice cream snack before bed.

Gender? Male

Labor Signs? TONS of Braxton-Hicks contractions, especially at night.

Belly Button in or out? Flat

What are you missing? Regular Coke, being able to easily put on my shoes, sleeping on my stomach, Starbucks.

What are you looking forward to? Seeing what London looks like, how much he weighs, etc. Bringing him home to meet Minnie. Having him and Brooklyn "play" together. Seeing how Justin and he interact/bond.

Other Updates? I suppose the final, most important update is, unless he decides to come on his own sometime during the remainder of this week, London will be a Halloween baby! I am being admitted to the hospital Sunday night and will be induced first this Monday morning. Prayers are much appreciated for this excited/anxious mama to be!!

Minnie.

I felt the need to post some Minnie cuteness on my blog since it has been a while. She is still just as cute and as lazy as ever. I cannot wait to see what she's like with her baby brother!

Watermelon. (Well, kind of)

Well, it's been exactly a week since I was put on bed rest and so far, so good. We had quite a lengthy doctor's appointment this past Monday. We started out having an ultrasound which was so exciting! I had been dying to see how much our baby boy had grown and changed since our last ultrasound at 20 weeks. My mom, Alyssa, Blair, Brooklyn, and Justin were all there to share this experience with me and that was really special. After the ultrasound, they did a NST (non-stress test) to check London's heart rate, movement, etc. There was one monitor that checked his heart rate and one that checked whether or not I was having any contractions. Every time I felt London moved I had to push a button-this lasted 20 minutes. The results of the NST all came back normal. I finally met with the doctor and went over the the ultrasound, NST, my blood pressure, etc. It seems that little London is currently living up to that name. He is measuring about a week behind and weighs approximately 5 (ish) pounds and they said he would likely take after me in length (he may be a little on the shorter side)...we shall see. :) The doctor was pleased with the results of the NST and my blood pressure was still a little on the high side, but not nearly what it was on the previous Friday. He told me to continue to take it easy and stay off my feet as much as possible. However, he did give me permission to go to church and on short outings where I wouldn't be doing a lot of walking or vigorous activity. For that, I was very thankful! Needless to say I have been taking advantage of resting and relaxing this past week. We have been so blessed with family and friends stopping by for visits and dinner for us.

According to my iPhone app, London should be about the size of a watermelon this week, weighing about 6.5 pounds and measuring between 19-22 inches long. However, according to our visit this past week our little London isn't quite ready to be a watermelon. I am 36 weeks, 5 days pregnant as of today. That leave about 3 weeks, 2 days left until we meet our little man! I cannot believe how close it's getting!

I've been working on a pregnancy journal and I was looking back at the different ultrasound pictures we've had. I thought I'd share a few. It's so neat to see the progression of how London has grown over these past several months! Enjoy!

London at our first u/s. 8 weeks/5days

3-D image at our first u/s.

3-D London at our 2nd u/s. 19 weeks/3 days

It's a BOY! 2nd u/s.

Sweet boy at our 3rd u/s. 36 weeks/1 day

Hugs,

Meredith

Large Cantaloupe.

It has been quite sometime since my last update, so here it goes...

Little London is now the size of a large cantaloupe. He is somewhere between 19-22 inches long and now weighs around 6 pounds! Today I am exactly 35 weeks and 6 days, leaving only 4 weeks and 1 day left until his due date. I have had a handful of doctor's visits from the day of my last post until now. My blood pressure has been creeping up more and more over the last month and my doctor has been keeping a close watch on it. Last weekend I started not feeling so great and so I called and made an appointment for this past Monday. My blood pressure was high, but they wanted to check it again later on in the week. Yesterday afternoon I went to have it checked, and after checking it 3 different times over the time span of about 20-30 minutes my numbers were not looking good. The nurse took down some information from me about how I've been feeling, along with all 3 blood pressure numbers and went to discuss things with the doctor. I was definitely not mentally prepared for what she came back with. As of yesterday afternoon I have been put on bed rest and am not allowed to return to work until after London is born. I am also being put on medication for my blood pressure. I am supposed to become a "lady of leisure" as my doctor so delicately put it. I will say that this caused a lot of mixed emotions inside of me and it is still something that is settling in this morning. I am thankful/happy to not have to deal with the stress of work everyday for the next month and I have a feeling that the job I have was probably some, not all, but some of the cause of my high blood pressure. However, I am not so excited about having to sit/lay on the couch all day without really being able to go many places. I know that in the end it will all be worth it and that God has got a plan for why this is happening. I am going to make a conscious effort to see this as a blessing and something that is positive for both me and London. (I will say that the fear/worry/anxiety will still creep in, I'm sure). I am so blessed to have such a great family and such great friends who have already offered to help and come and visit with me so that I don't go completely crazy! We will go back to the doctor on Monday morning for an ultrasound (yippee!), and a non-stress test to make sure that little London is doing fine. I should be getting the results of some lab work I had done yesterday and if everything looks normal, then I will continue on bed rest and will be monitored weekly. However, if my lab work comes back abnormal, they may want to deliver the baby SOON. Ahh! I'm not quite sure what "soon" means, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.

All of that being said, if anyone is reading this please lift us up in prayer. I know that God has got this all under control and I don't need to worry about a thing. However, it is definitely in my nature to worry, stress, and have major anxiety.

I will definitely try to update as things happen over the upcoming days/weeks to come.

Hugs,

Meredith

Pineapple.

To all of my blog followers, I apologize for the lack of updates recently. Life has been pretty crazy and we have been staying very busy. I cannot guarantee that this will be a complete life update, because I do still need to write some lesson plans and I am getting ready to watch the season premiere of Modern Family!

In baby news, London is now the size of a pineapple. He is now somewhere between 19 to 22 inches long and he weighs about 4.9 pounds. Today I am 33 weeks and 3 days along, with 6 weeks and 4 days remaining. AHHH! I cannot believe how close it's getting. London is moving around all the time now...punching, kicking, kneeing, etc. I love lay down and watch my belly move. I cannot wait to meet that little boy. :)

Things are starting to feel more like home around here since we moved into our new apartment. We moved into University Center Apartments on Labor Day. I absolutely love living here and I'm so thankful that God has given us the opportunity to serve at the CARES team.

School is really tiring and draining most days. I am exhausted, sore, and swollen by the end of each day. I know that it will all be worth it in every way, but sometimes it's difficult to think that way in the middle of the pain.

Anyway, time for Modern Family and a few more lesson plans. Thanks to everyone who keeps up with my blog.

Until next time...

Hugs,

Meredith

Head of Lettuce.

I. am. exhausted. Summer is officially over for Mrs. Evans the Kindergarten teacher and school in back in full swing. Needless to say, this will be a short post. London is a growing boy as he reaches the size of a head of lettuce this week. He is now about 18 inches long and weighs about 3.2 pounds. Today I am 30 weeks and 1 day, leaving 9 weeks and 6 days left until his due date. I am definitely growing, too! Last week I found out that I do have gestational diabetes otherwise known as "the sugars" (per my friend Allyson). I am meeting with a diabetes Dr. on Wednesday afternoon to go over my diet/exercise plan for the next 10 weeks. I am not to thrilled that I will likely be cutting out nearly all of my favorite foods and drinks. However, I know in the long run it will be well worth it to have a healthy baby boy and for him to have a healthy mama. I literally cannot think of anything else to write and my brain/body are telling me it's getting close to bedtime...yes, even at 8:37 PM. Until next time...

xoxo,

Meredith

Butternut Squash.

This morning I am blogging from the waiting room of my doctor's office. Today is the day that I'm having my second glucose test. Let me just say that this is not the most pleasant experience. I am absolutely starving since I had to start fasting at midnight and cannot eat again until we leave. I'm having my blood drawn again at 10:03, 11:03, and 12:03. As soon as they draw blood for the final time, I am free to go! Thankfully, I have a husband who is willing to be here with me the entire time and take me out to lunch as soon as we are finished. I am praying that I do not have gestational diabetes, and should probably find out for sure within the week. But, on to more exciting and important things...

This week London is the size of a butternut squash. He is approximately 17 inches long and 3.1 pounds. I am 29 weeks and 2 days today. That leaves only 10 weeks and 5 days! I cannot believe how soon he will be here. September is going to be an exciting month because we are starting our birthing classes with our good friends Daniel and Allyson Hodges. We also have 3 baby showers! Oh, and we will likely be moving! I've also been busy as a bee trying to get my classroom set up since the first day of school is this Thursday. CrAzY TiMeS!

Well, almost to get blood drawn again. Until next time...

xoxo,

Meredith

Small Cabbage.

This post will be very short, sweet, and to the point because I have to get up early and go back to work tomorrow. Yep, that's right...goodbye summer-hello new school year.

Today I am 28 weeks, 3 days pregnant. London is supposedly the size of a small cabbage this week. His weight is approximately 2.9 pounds and he is about 17 inches long at this point. I had a doctor's appointment along with my glucose test this past Monday. Everything looked great with me and baby L. His heartbeat was 147, which is good. The only negative thing that resulted from that appointment was that I failed my glucose test by a measly 5 points. Meaning, I have to go and have the 3 hour glucose test where they will draw my blood 4 times (which I HATE btw) and I can't eat anything from midnight the night before until after my appointment, which should be over around noon. WAHHHH! I know, woe is me. I guess it is what it is and I need to just suck it up and be thankful that I have the opportunity to have these kinds of tests done to ensure that both me and baby L are properly taken care of. I will go for the 3 hour test on Tuesday. Wish me luck!

Alrighty, I have got to try and get some sleep. I worked all day in my classroom and my body is not taking it so well. I can only imagine what aches and pains tomorrow will bring. Until next time...

xoxo,

Meredith

Head of Cauliflower.

I am officially on my 3rd trimester!! Today I am 27 weeks and 1 day, leaving only 12 weeks and 6 days left! I cannot believe how fast time is flying. This week baby London is the size of a head of cauliflower. He is approximately 16 inches long and 2.5 pounds. London is becoming more and more active by the day. I cannot wait to meet this little boy. Not much to update about this week. I have my next doctor's appointment on Monday and I have to have my glucose test...whoopie. I also, go back to school next week for teacher workdays, before the kids start the following week. I cannot believe that the school year is about to begin again. I'm looking forward to getting back into a routine and meeting all of my new kids. I'm also ecstatic about FALL! This heat is ridiculous and I am so ready for cooler weather, pretty leaves changing colors, bonfires, and everything else fall! Well, until next time....

Hugs,

Meredith

Eggplant.

Baby London is the size of an Eggplant this week. He is approximately 9.2 inches long and weighs around 2 pounds! I am 25 weeks, 1 day pregnant today and that leaves only 14 weeks, 6 days left until my due date!! Justin and I are getting more and more excited as the time draws near. I am definitely feeling London move a lot these days. He is very active at night when I am just laying on the couch or in bed. However, there are a handful of times during the day when I feel him as well. So far I'm still feeling pretty good, but I will say that I would gladly say goodbye to this heat for good! (I'm sure everyone feels this way right about now). I have also been experiencing some pain in my sciatic nerve, causing a sharp pain in my lower back that shoots down through my butt and leg. This has been no fun at all, but thankfully it is not constant.

This past week I spent several days/nights with Alyssa and Brooklyn while Joseph was at camp. First of all, a HUGE shout out to my sister for what an awesome mom she is! I am learning so much from her and I look up to her so much. I loved spending time with my sis and my niece. We had several outings including a visit and lunch at K & W with Maw Maw Betty, lunch and swimming at Judy and Grandaddy's pool, and a visit and dinner with Maw Maw Soup. We are definitely blessed to have all of our family close by so that we can enjoy time with them whenever we want. We also ventured to Babies-R-Us one evening and Alyssa helped me register for some things that I will need once London arrives. She was such great help and Brooklyn was a great little helper as well. My phone is quickly filling up with pictures I've taken of Brooklyn so I figured I'd share a few. Enjoy!

Sleeping like a little angel.

Early morning cuddles with aunt Mere.

Spending time with Maw Maw Betty.

Little Southern Belle in her sun hat.

Playing with a magnifying glass at Judy's.

Cutest.

Little chunk.

Getting ready for bed.

Picture of an eggplant I took at Target to see how big London really is this week.

Today-25 weeks, 1 day.

xoxo,

Meredith