Pictures of Noah's Haircut

    I was so proud of my little boy today. I had heard horror stories from so many different people about how most first haircuts aren't an enjoyable experience. I was expecting the worst and ended up with the best behaved child in the world. He sat on my lap and almost fell asleep (apparently getting his haircut is very relaxing for him and it exhausted him...which is the same thing it does to me). Here are some pictures of our day:

The whole family got haircuts!!

Farewell 2010

 I can't believe I have to say goodbye to this year...it's the first one in a long time I'll be sad to see go. This is the year I became a Mommy and the Lord showed me what a true miracle children are. It hasn't been the easiest and has been filled with many ups and downs along the way, but each day God has provided the answers and patience I need to make it through. In exactly 21 days I celebrate my first child's birthday and I couldn't be happier. I sometimes really miss the days of him being so tiny he fit in the crook of my arm, wanting nothing other than to be rocked to sleep. But, I have to admit it has been such a blessing seeing him changing and developing into a toddler over this past year. Sometimes it makes me sad to think that my little one is growing up on me, but the happiness in seeing who he is becoming trumps the "sad" days by far. 
     Another huge moment for us this year was to learn we would be giving Noah a little sibling. Only five months after giving birth to Noah Bug, I took a pregnancy test which, to my surprise (even though we were trying) came back with a big happy plus sign. I can't begin to express my happiness from that day and the many prayers sent Heavenward praising God for our second miracle. Later we would find out that God would be giving me a baby girl...so now, I have a matched set; brother and sissy. *grin* I can't say it enough, but GOD IS SO GOOD!!! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Haleigh Marie and looking forward to what other things the Lord has in store for us in 2011. 

Noah's First Haircut

    IS HAPPENING TOMORROW! Is it weird that I"m totally nervous about it...*smile*  I'm just in love with his little baby curls and now they are going to be all cut off. But, the boys in my family keep telling me he is starting to look "girly" and I certainly don't want that. :-(  So, it's off to the hair salon tomorrow afternoon. I will definitely be taking pictures and praying with my whole heart that Noah Bug cooperates. It makes me nervous someone is going to have a pair of scissors that close to my little one's head, but I know it's going to be ok. 
     Noah isn't the only one who is getting a haircut either...I decided I would, too. And let me just say, it's going to be totally different. I've got to look at pictures today and try to find something that works for me but I'm thinking I'm going to get it cut pretty short. :-)  I'm in need of a change for sure. Anyways, that's my little update this morning...now it's off to fix some breakfast for my family! 

26 1/2 Weeks

     And so thankful to be in trimester 3!!! :-)  I can't believe on Monday I am going to be 27 weeks preggers. I actually found out that 27 weeks is the first week a baby has a significant chance of surviving on their own outside of the womb. It would be a long journey filled with monitors and very likely complications, but, it's nice to know she would have a fighting chance. So, hubby and I are going out one night to celebrate this huge milestone (an idea stolen from one of my friend). I finally got around to taking a picture of my growing tummy for this week...and I can't believe how big I'm getting. (And unfortunately, not just in the belly, lol)  Why is it that pregnant women don't just grow tummies...we also grow boobs and butts?  *grin* At least I have the luxury of knowing that after giving birth I will get the majority of my figure back...maybe just a bit curvier. *smile*  Ok, well, I'm off to put little one to bed and get some rest for myself, too. It's been a long day and not the greatest, but I'm thankful for it all the same. God is good!

Attack of the Mood Swings

    One of the strangest things about pregnancy is the unpredictable mood swings. I can seriously be laughing hysterically one minute and sobbing uncontrollably the next. It's pretty bad. Well, I have been very thankful to say that up until this past week I haven't had much of a struggle with hormone issues...I've felt pretty "normal" if you can call it that. But, oh my goodness, for some reason, yesterday they decided to strike and man are they vicious. Let me just say to my dear husband, I love you and thanks in advance for putting up with me. I knew you were incredible when I met and fell in love with you, but to see you so patient with me makes me fall in love with you all over again! *hug*
     I know that one day I will look back on this and laugh but when it's happening I don't feel much like laughing...or maybe I do; but I guess I feel like crying too. I don't know...ok, reading this back to myself I DO sound funny. Anyways, please say a prayer for me if you think of it! God is so good!

Feels Good to be Back

     Today was my first day back at the Y in almost two weeks and I can't even begin to explain how good it felt to walk through those doors again. As strange as it may sound, it's very comforting to be there; getting in a good workout is such a major stress reliever, and noting the obvious, the better your health is the better you feel. I really didn't watch my calories at all over the Christmas holiday because there was just SO MUCH GOOD FOOD! *grin*  That's what happens when you have a big family who loves to cook. So yeah, there were many sweets to be eaten and I was just the person for it. Stepping back on the scale this morning for the first time in two weeks wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, though...I had gained 2 pounds. Which puts my grand total of pregnancy weight gain at 6 pounds...so, I'm pretty happy with that number. I don't know how I've managed to keep such good track of my weight, but I'm pretty sure the majority of it has to do with my love of the YMCA. Everyone there is just so nice and encouraging and it makes me feel happy to have such a support system. Speaking of support, my greatest one is my best friend Rebecca. :-)  She is such an encouragement to me and even when I have days when I feel too tired to go, there she is texting me at just the right moment to invite me to workout or get together for a playdate. (Thanks girl...you mean the world to me!)  God is so good to have sent me such amazing friends.
     So, thus ends the sweets splurge and so continues the "doing my best to eat healthy" moment. I just want to keep my chances at their highest for being able to go into labor on my own. I've worked so hard to keep this baby healthy and to keep myself in good shape. I had an awesome Christmas and it was so much fun, but now it's time to get back into my normal routine. And speaking of that, I've only got 10-13 weeks left to go...that's definitely not much at all. So yeah, I'm starting to get all jittery and excited...I can't believe my baby girl is going to be here soon. *smile* 
     Well, it's off to do housework before little Noah Whately wakes up from his nap! Have a blessed day everyone!

Baby Einstein Equals Brilliant Idea!

     Who knew that one simply made DVD could keep my child entertained for an hour? We bought Noah the Baby Einstein animals in their habitats DVD for Christmas and I decided to give it a try. It has real footage of baby animals running around and looking adorable. Well, Noah LOVES it. He will sit in front of the TV and watch the entire thing the whole way through just laughing and giggling at the animals....and this DVD is so educational...I love it. He actually said the word "deer" the other day. I was like, huh? But then I realized that's one of the sight words on the Baby Einstein movie. We don't watch a lot of TV in our house but somedays when Noah needs some downtime, I turn it on for 30 minutes to an hour and that seems to give him enough chill time to enjoy his day...and it keeps the crankiness away. :-) 
     So, needless to say, I will be purchasing more of these movies as soon as possible. In fact, Mom is coming over today and we are going shopping so I might just pick up a few more! *grin*  Well, I guess I better get off of here and fix little man some breakfast...I'll tell ya one thing, that kid sure can eat, lol. :-)

WE ARE IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS....

with only 99 days left to go until our due date! *grin*  Can you tell I am just a little bit excited, lol?  Anyways, sorry this post is so short but Caleb and I went to Toys R Us this morning and bought a toy box for Noah and Haleigh. Now we won't have any safety hazards laying everywhere on the floor...YAY. Let me just say I'm so thankful that Noah got spoiled with gifts this year, but so not happy that at 3 a.m. I end up tripping over everything in the floor. :-)  So, it's off to help Dada put this thing together!
PS...I also broke down and bought a very girly diaper bag this morning...:-)  FINALLY I get to carry about pink.

Merry CHRISTmas for the Johnstons!

     WOW! That's truly all I can say about the past couple of days. God has truly blessed our family in so many ways! Noah definitely had a GREAT first Christmas...as did we. It truly was an awesome experience seeing things from the "parent" point of view. With each new toy Noah opened he just wanted to play, play, play! It was the sweetest thing I actually had to stop myself from crying at times; I have been so overwhelmed with happiness. I can't write too much right now because this Mommy is going to help her little boy enjoy all of his Christmas toys!  And maybe secretly I have fun playing with them just as much as he does. *grin*  Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Family and Fun

     I will be without internet for a couple of days as we are spending the entire Christmas holiday in New Castle this year. Here in about an hour we are loading up the car with gifts for family, Noah's already opened Christmas presents, diaper bag, pack and play, and a couple of days worth of clothes (geez...sometimes I feel like when I became a Mom a moving van was required for any overnight trips, lol...the amount of stuff we need for just a couple of days is incredible). We are stopping by Caleb's parent's first and doing Christmas there...and ohhhhh, I am oh so excited to see Noah ripping into those presents once again, lol. Then, we are driving to my parents house and spending the next couple of nights with them...and how sweet my dear parents are. Because I'm pregnant they offered to let us sleep in their bed and they are going to use the air mattress. They said they didn't want their pregnant little girl to have to deal with climbing up out of floor in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom (and oh my goodness, I seriously spend half the night peeing, lol...it's ridiculous!!! :-) ) I am just so truly blessed to have such an amazing family...makes my heart melt everytime I think about it.
     Christmas day is always super busy, but since we aren't having to make the drive from Salem, that's going to make the day quite a bit easier. When we wake up we will do Christmas with my parents (aka Nana and Papa)...and they seriously went overboard this year. I guess that can be expected with the first grandchild, though, lol. I can just about guess that most of those packages contain trucks, tractors, and all kinds of things my little Noah is going to love. After we finish there, we head to my Mom's parents (Granny and Papa Jones) and yet again, open more gifts. And they bought a ton of stuff too, because Noah is their first great grandchild...and he is in need of more spoiling! *grin*  After our few hours there, we head to my Dad's parents and have Christmas at the Spitzer's...each stop along the way just continues to remind me how much we are all so loved., and how God has blessed us with a wonderful network of family. At this point, we would normally drive back home, but my parents offered to let us stay again tomorrow night because on Sunday we are doing Christmas with my stepdad's family...the Scotts!
     We always play "Dirty Santa" which is SO MUCH FUN. Each person buys one gift and wraps it. Then, we sit all the presents in the floor and draw to see the order each person goes. Starting with number 1, they pick their package and open it...then number 2 goes and they can either steal the present away from whoever just went, or choose another package. And so the game continues until the last person remains...and it's best to go last because then you have the option to steal from everyone!!! I'm hoping for a high number this year, lol. Then, after the festivities are over, it's back home to start another work week and I'm sure we will all be exhausted from our weekend of fun! :-)
     Merry Christmas to all of my wonderful friends and family! I love you all!

Christmas 2010

     The excitement was just too much to handle...seeing all those gorgeous presents under the tree! *grin*  Sooooo, we decided to go ahead and open them this morning. I can't tell you how much fun it was watching our precious Noah tear open his gifts...he was so excited. It was definitely a different experience this time around...being the parent instead of the child. It seemed so much more FUN...the smile on Noah's face was the best present of all. The entire time while we were opening presents, I just kept thanking God for blessing us so richly...and I wasn't referring to the material stuff. He has blessed us with an amazing life, family, our health, our SALVATION, and so much more. It has definitely been a great Christmas already and we still have so many more places to visit over the next few days. :-) 
     I took a ton of pictures so I want to share a few of them with you.

Noah's FAVORITE gift...his Leaptop.

Helping Dada open his gifts!

11 Months Old

     And a month left to go until Noah is one year old. I can't say it enough...I love being a Mom and I'm so thankful God has blessed me with this opportunity. We are so proud of Noah and his daily accomplishments and, although I can't believe the one year mark has crept up on us so quickly, I am thankful for it. I hear so many "parents" complaining about how their children were mistakes and going on and on about how annoying their kids are. It makes me so angry to hear these kinds of words. Children are a wonderful blessing from the Lord, and although parenting isn't always easy, it's the most loving and rewarding job anyone could have.
     I pray that each one of you is having a very blessed holiday season!

Here is the most recent picture of Noah I have...please excuse the hair in his eyeballs, lol..he so desperately needs a haircut but we are waiting until after Christmas! :-)

My beautiful baby boy!

Made Me Think

     I was in the car this afternoon heading back from my friend Becca's house when I had the most wonderful experience. I was passing by a local school in our area, which was having early release today. The traffic guard stopped me and indicated I should roll down my window, which I did. She proceeded to give me directions saying that I would need to drive in the opposite lane in order to avoid the long line of cars waiting to pick up their children. At that moment, an oncoming vehicle was approaching and I can't even begin to tell you how this woman began to apologize over and over...saying that she was sorry that there was so much traffic and that I had to wait. I looked up at her and smiled and said I wasn't in any hurry...it wasn't a big deal for me to have to wait; just that my son and I were on our way back home and were enjoying the drive together. She looked at me with the strangest look on her face and said, "you are the first person who has said they weren't in a hurry...everyone here wants to be first...it's all about me, me, me!"  I just smiled and told her to have a nice day and drove on...but MY GOODNESS, it really got me to thinking.  Everyone is in such a hurry these days...and the closer it gets to Christmas, the ruder people seem to get. Just last night my husband and I were out running errands and I put Noah down so that he could walk around. Well, out of  nowhere this man runs straight into him and doesn't say a word...even when Noah started to cry. He just kept walking...didn't stop to apologize or anything; I guess it just amazes me at how rude people can be at times.
     I've been doing my best to remember the reason for the season...it's not about exhanging gifts or decorating Christmas trees...it's about GOD'S AMAZING SACRIFICE OF HIS SON!!! We should be celebrating the birth of Christ and remembing the reason for why He was born...not knocking down small children without apologizing, not shoving people out of the way at Walmart in hopes you'll get a better deal by being first in line...NO NO NO! Grrr, it just upsets me more than anything. I mean, a woman was actually apologizing to me this morning because she was worried I would have to wait behind a line of cars. SERIOUSLY? It just really shocked me...I didn't mind waiting. I have my salvation, an amazing husband and child, and another one on the way. God has just blessed me in so many ways I can't stand the thought of not giving Him the glory during this holiday season.
     But yes, sorry for my little rant, I just wanted to take a moment to share that. These will be my final words on this subject...even if you are in a rush and you are caught up in the stress of the holiday season, please try to remember that it never hurts to give someone a smile...afterall, "some have entertained angels unawares!" (Hebrews 13;2)
     But yes, as I mentioned in the very beginning of this post, I spent the morning with my friend Becca and her two wonderful kids. Noah always has such a great time over there...especially now that he can run and keep up with her oldest one. Not to mention, it wears him out so when we get home he takes an awesome nap...*grin*. We let the kids open their Christmas presents today, which was really fun. Noah got this cute little magnet that makes noise by placing the front and back half of animals in it...if you get it right, it sings a happy little song, but even if there is a wrong match there is an inspiring little voice that so sweetly corrects you and tells you to try again....my, how I wish everyone was as polite as the voices which appear from all of my child's toys. :-)  (Thanks again for that...he absolutely loves it...as do I).
     Well, if you can believe it, I've actually run out of things to say! That rarely happens, haha. But, I think I'm going to sit down and watch a movie until my little one decides he is finished napping. Have a blessed day and remember....JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!

One of Those Days

     I went to the dentist for the first time in quite a while today. Turns out I need extensive cleaning, which is fine, but I can't have my teeth cleaned without having an xray done, and I can't get an xray because I'm pregnant. Soooo, I'm waiting until I have Haleigh and going back in June for all that fun stuff. Turns out my cleaning will be split up into two seperate days...the first to do the right side of my mouth and the second to do the left side...both of which will take two hours...BLEH!  But, after that, I am getting sent to a specialist to discuss invisalign braces (which I have been wanting for a LONG time) which means I will finally have straight, beautiful teeth...something I've always wanted.
     Anyways, enough about that...we found out our car will be in the shop until January 7th, but that's ok, because it turns out we only have to pay the $500 deductible...totally do-able. :-)  And I really don't mind driving around our rental (even though it has Florida plates..how weird is that?) because it's a 2010 Mazda 3. Yum!  Let's just say it has this awesome feature that allows the driver to switch between automatic and manual...which rocks. So, yeah, I'm definitely enjoying that, lol.
     We go back for our next OB/GYN visit in January and we are absolutely excited. As you can imagine, I've been going crazy buying little girl clothes...and LOVING THE FACT everything I buy is PINK PINK PINK!!! :-)  Anyways, I was calculating how much time we had left during this pregnancy...and as of today I'm 25 weeks. Which means, we could have as few as 12 weeks left to go and as long as 17. That's really not much...exactly 3-4 months. WOW, I really can't believe that in just a short amount of time, we will have our little girl here with us.
     Noah is doing awesome. We've had to keep a close eye on him as his new favorite thing to do is rip into the Christmas presents. There was a really close call the other day when he opened up one of my presents from Daddy...praise the Lord he had double wrapped it so I didn't see anything...needless to say I've scooted that one to the back of the tree. *GRIN*  On Wednesday of this week my family is getting together to decorate sugar cookies and I can only imagine the mess our little Noah Bug is going to make...be ready for pictures!
     I think that's pretty much what's been going since I've been away from my blogging. It's hard to keep up with everything these days, especially with my preggers mind, but I'm definitely enjoying the life this Lord has given me. God bless you all.

Blood Work and Car Wrecks

     That pretty much sums up our day yesterday. Caleb is still sick and running a fever after a week, so our doctor ordered him to have blood work done. If it comes back abnormal then he is going to have to have chest x-rays done just to make sure this hasn't developed into pneumonia. Praise the Lord he still has sick time he could use so that has been nice.
     Well, on his way back from getting blood work, he was involved in a car accident. Even though he was driving extremely slow (considering the snowy road conditions) when he braked the car slid right into the back of another vehicle. This was our CR-V...the car I drove most of the time and our first "brand new" vehicle. I was so thankful Caleb was safe but yesterday was spent dealing with our insurance company, Enterprise, and the body shop...which was extremely stressful. We prayed about it and had our family and friends praying, too...and as the day went on, we kept getting better and better news. First, the officer chose not to write Caleb a ticket because he said the road conditions were the cause and not Caleb's driving...which was awesome. Then, we found out all we would owe to have our car repaired was our $500 deductible (and they estimated the car damage to be around $10,000). Then, we thought we would have to wait to put the car in the shop for repairs, but they ended up getting it in there at 9:30 this morning. AND...we get our rental car today, which is completely covered except for the "under 25 driver charge" and all of that is taken care of except for $9/day. So, we are going to owe less than $600 for everything...we are definitely counting our blessings. 
     Now, if we can just get Caleb to feeling better everything will be perfect. I am so worried about him...he NEVER gets this sick. But, unfortunately his immune system is extremely weak and vulnerable at this point so we are doing everything we can to build it back up. Yesterday was a real break through because it was the first day he had eaten anything since last Friday...and so he was finally able to start taking his vitamins. We are praying this is a good sign and that he will be all better after a long weekend of rest. God is so good and we can't even begin to thank Him for all of our many blessings. Yesterday it would have been so easy to get angry with God, but instead, we prayed and thanked Him for keeping Caleb safe and let Him know that we fully trusted Him with everything in our lives. And, I can say from experience, GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! 
     I pray that each of you has a very blessed day, and even if you are struggling with an issue, try to see the positive. :-)

3-D SONO

     Our appointment today went WONDERFUL!!! And the doctor who did the ultrasound told us there was NO WAY this could be a little boy, lol. Haleigh cooperated perfectly and showed off all of her "girly" parts, lol, so we are so thankful for that. Doctor told us she is right on track for weight and size and that she seems to be healthy in every way. We are just so thankful to our Savior for sending us this precious miracle. *grin*  Here are some of the pictures from our visit today.

High Res Haleigh

  Tomorrow we go for our high resolution ultrasound and I couldn't be more excited. I don't exactly know why but I'm feeling a little nervous, too, because I'm having blood work and a urine specimen done. I'm just praying that everything comes back ok and that our little Haleigh is super duper healthy. :-)  It's been pretty weird for us this pregnancy because everything is SO MUCH DIFFERENT. When Noah was in my tummy, I had a midwife and the technology at Montgomery Regional was superb. The ultrasounds looked like actual photographs...

Noah Whately in Utero

But now, with this office, their technology isn't the best quality and it's really blurry. The ultrasound tech was "pretty positive" we were having a little girl, but she chose to send us to the high resolution facility in order to have a better look, so to speak. :-)  Here is an example of Western Va OB/GYN ultrasound:


Haleigh in utero

So, as you can tell, there is a huge difference in the quality of the photos...we're definitely looking forward to seeing our precious little girl in high def tomorrow, lol. I'm just so very thankful that all appears to be healthy and well in our baby girl...and I really can't believe she already weighs a pound a half. That is unbelievable.
Please say a prayer for us tomorrow as we go to our visit and I will be sure to update as soon as I get the chance. 

24 Weeks

24 Weeks
Weight Gain: 4 lbs
Haleigh's Weight: 1.5 lbs

     
     I can't believe I'm down to only having 3-4 months left to go (I've figured up the dates...the baby can come anytime between March 4th and April 12th because my doctor promised she wouldn't let me go past 41 weeks). I can't even begin to describe the emotional roller coaster I'm on right now. Sometimes I have days where I am so excited for Haleigh to get here I just can't sit still but then on other days, I'm so worried about how I'm going to handle two under the age of two. Not to mention, Noah is my sweet little handsome boy and I can't stand the thought of him thinking Mommy is focusing more of her attention on someone else. :-(  I know he will get used to having a sissy around but I am worried about the initial reaction, I guess. I'm really hoping the flu precautions will be lifted by the time I deliver so that Noah can come and visit us at the hospital...how I'm going to manage going 2-3 days without seeing him makes me so sad. I'm so thankful for this little girl who is on the way and I can't wait to hold her for the first time. I'm sure in that moment all of my fears and worries will disappear and I will regain my confidence. :-)  
     On to other things...this weekend has been fairly tough. Caleb started feeling bad on Friday evening (which was his birthday) and after we got back home from Cheddar's he lost all of his dinner. :-(  He started running a fever that night around 102 and even with Tylenol/Motrin we haven't been able to get it to drop below 100...and that was still as of this morning. We set up an appointment to go see the doctor so he's taking off work a little early and we're heading over there around 3 this afternoon. Please keep him (and us) in your prayers...that the Lord will take this away from him and will keep us from getting it. I didn't realize how hard it would be chasing after a toddler and nursing a sick husband, but oh my goodness, I'm absolutely exhausted. It's all right though...God is giving me the strength I need to endure. 
     I pray that each of you has a wonderful start to your week. God bless!

Haleigh Marie Johnston

Here are the pictures I promised. :-)  Noah's profile in his ultrasound photo looked just like his daddy's, but little Haleigh looks just like her Mommy!  I just can't wait to hold her in my arms.

FRILLS AND LACE

    WE ARE HAVING A GIRL!!!! Oh my goodness I can't even begin to explain how happy we are. My camera died so I'm having to charge it before I can take pictures to post...the best one we got was a profile shot....and she looks just like her mama. I remember on Noah Bug's ultrasound his profile was identical to his daddy's, so I'm so thankful our next one is going to look like me. :-)  I hate to keep this so short but it's getting close to Noah's bedtime and I'm going to bed early tonight myself. Oh, we're naming her Haleigh Marie Johnston...(leigh because it's my mom's middle name, and marie because it's my grandma's middle name!)  God bless you all!

Times Gone By

     Here we are again...the Christmas season. It seems like yesterday I was anxiously awaiting on our little boy to arrive, just knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt he would be grace us with his presence within a week or two. But, he was very content in his Mommy's belly so he chose not to come for another six weeks; that's right, I was almost 41 weeks pregnant when I had to have my emergency c-section...because the little booger refused to come out, haha. 
     I can't believe our little one is almost a year old. It seems strange to be planning a birthday party already, but here I am, making a guest list, shopping for decorations and gifts, and doing my best to hold my composure through it all. I will admit there have been moments when I've felt like breaking down and sobbing (and have admittedly done so a few times along the way). I just get so overwhelmed at times when I look at my angel's face knowing that only a few short months ago I held him in my arms for the first time...but now, I can barely keep up with him as he squirms away while I change a diaper, or in the middle of his new favorite game "let's see how fast these new legs can outrun Mommy". Yes, it's true. My little boy is growing up and it's hard for this Mom to admit. But I am so thankful to the Lord for our precious gift and I thank Him each day for bringing us our babbling, bubbly, baby boy. I know that growing up is what comes with parenting and I can't wait to see who he turns into. Each day is such an adventure, never knowing what he will do or say next...but one thing I know for sure, that kid has a personality like no other! :-) 
     Enough with the tugging at the heart strings for now. I did want to announce that we've decided to go with a John Deere theme for little man's birthday and I am SO excited about it, lol. It's going to be awesome seeing that room decorated in yellow and green, with tractors all over the place. I, as always, will take a ton of pictures. 
     Oh, and can you believe we already have the majority of our Christmas shopping finished...and it's only the first week of December?  Normally we wait until the last minute but this year we had everything taken care of early...and I couldn't be happier. There is just something so magical about coming home and seeing that beautiful tree lit up with "not so neatly" wrapped gifts under the tree. And Noah and I are going to work on making a "Happy Birthday Jesus" banner to hang beside the tree this weekend...because we are teaching him that the reason for a tree, gifts and such are to celebrate the birth of our Savior. God be with you during the Christmas season...have a blessed day! :-)
     

Five Months Along

22 weeks preggers
(current weight gain: 4 lbs)
Quite the improvement over my 30 pounds at 25 weeks with Noah Bug, lol.

     and only four left to go...*GRIN*  I can't believe that in four very short months I'm going to be the Mommy of two under two. Some days I find myself wondering "WHAT WAS I THINKING?!"  and then I look at my beautiful little boy and it doesn't seem crazy at all, lol. In fact, Caleb and I were discussing giving the Duggar family a run for their money, haha. (For those of you who aren't familiar with them, they are on TLC's 18 Kids and Counting) We have pretty much decided to leave it all up to the Lord...if He blesses us with two, WONDERFUL, and if he blesses us with ten...EVEN MORE WONDERFUL!  We are just so truly thankful for everything the Lord has and is doing in our lives. 
We are finally moving out of this tiny apartment in May. I don't quite know how we will manage being here in a one bedroom for a whole month with two babies, but God is going to work that out. I'm just thankful it's only going to be a month and no longer than that, haha. Speaking of the new baby, we are going back to the doctor on December 9th for my 23 week prenatal visit and HOPING that the baby cooperates this time...last time s(he) kept their foot in the way so the UT couldn't determine if it was a boy or a girl. We have also decided that if they refuse to cooperate on this try, we aren't going to find out...how awesome it would be to not know until the moment they are born! *smile*  Either way, we know that God has a perfect plan and we trust Him.

Well, I'm going to go and try to catch a quick nap while my Noah Bug is asleep. It's been a very long day and when Daddy gets home we have to take Noah to the doctor to get his flu shot...poor guy. :-(  Please keep him in your prayers today!  God Bless!

Noah is Walking

I can't believe it, but Noah Bug is FINALLY walking. :-) He started "walking, walking" around 9 1/2 months, but in the past couple of weeks he has learned to really go. He can almost run now, too...we are just so proud of him. :-)  God is so good.

Oh, and we had pictures made today and they turned out really good. As for now, all I have is the proofs until we go and pick up our order next week. :-) Enjoy!

I'm Back...Sort Of

*This is a picture of us and our best friends Sam, Rebecca and their two beautiful children!*

*20 Weeks Pregnant*

*Pumpkin Carving Day*

  

  I know I said I was officially ending my blog, but then I decided I really, really miss it. :-)  So, even though I don't have much time to write, I figure I can handle a couple posts a month at least. So much has happened during the past two months since I wrote last. 
    Noah Bug is walking...that's right WALKING! But, he still refuses to say Mama. :-(  His list of words currently contain Hi, Bye, Dada (his favorite word), Becca, baba (bottle), and the newest....NO. I'm so proud of our little munchkin...I just can't believe in two very short months he will be turning 1. I've already had a "moment" when I was planning his party theme...time is just going by so quickly now and I can't stand the thought of my babies growing up. BUT, paralleling these feelings are ones of excitement; to see who our little boy is going to grow up to be. I wonder what his likes and dislikes will become and how they will change over time. I look forward to kindergarten graduation, then middle and high school...who his first love will be...who he will marry. There is just so much to be thankful for and I never want to take it for granted. God is so good!!!
     Speaking of children, baby in my belly still hasn't revealed what s(he) is going to be...we went for our 20 week ultrasound on the 16th of this month and little one kept their foot in the way the ENTIRE TIME. I was a little disappointed but the fact that little one was healthy was pretty much my main concern. *grin*  Their heart was beating 143 bpm...it made me so happy. We go back on December 9th to try again and I've decided I'm drinking a Mt. Dew and filling up on chocolate before the appointment. And I bet my luck still won't change, lol...they'll be flip flopping around so much the ultrasound tech still won't be able to get a good view! I guess it would be pretty fun to be surprised on their birthday...I just like to be prepared and I will feel completely out of sorts if I can't get their room decorated in advance. :-)  
     I hope each of you has been doing well. I've done my best to keep up with your blogs which isn't as easy as it used to be. I don't even have time to read anymore because our little Noah Bug keeps me so busy...but it's all right, because I love every second of it. It will be a while before I update again, but just wanted to post and let everyone know what's happening in the lives of the Johnstons. Plus, I admit I've missed blogging way more than I thought I would! :-)  


PS...I'm uploading new pictures (located on right side of my main page) of Noah Bug for months 8 and 9. :-)  And wow...he will be 10 months in 2 days. UNBELIEVABLE! 

Farewell Blogger Family

    FAREWELL

Yes, this is the last blog entry I will be writing. There are several reasons for this....some of which I won't mention other than that people can be very hurtful because they don't like what you write...even if it has nothing to do with them. What a truly sad world we live in...it really breaks my heart. BUT my main reason for letting this be the end is that Noah requires every second of my attention now...a couple of months ago, he was just my immobile little infant; incapable of wreaking havoc *big grin*. Now, my days are filled with "no's", "stop baby's" and "Mommy loves you but she doesn't want  you to get hurt's!"  I've finally grown eyes in the back of my head so I can truly say I've joined the Mommy club. I've been trying to keep up with my blog during his nap times but realize those are the moments that baby in my belly wants Mama to sleep. And normally, I forego the naps and instead use the time for housework and tidying up. Not to mention, in six very short months, baby number two will be here...and then those precious moments of nap time will be overtaken by precious moments of cuddles, feedings, playing cars with my big boy, and even more "no's" after my Noah learns to walk. I will never get these moments back...of my little ones being babies. I have the rest of my life to write and social network, but I can't keep my children from growing up on me. :-(  Although it makes me sad, I'm so thankful that God has provided me with the opportunity to stay at home with them...it makes me feel like I am not missing out on their childhood. 
     Now, to all of the people who keep up with my blog, I thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have had an audience. I do not apologize for the things I've written, because I feel that each of them were true to who I am as an individual; my thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. I am sorry that some people have chosen to get angry at me about what I've written...especially when I wasn't writing for them, but for myself. :-(  I've had a wonderful time over these last months bringing a smile to your face or presenting you with an idea that sparked discussion...please continue to pray for me that this pregnancy will go smoothly and that the Lord will continue to strengthen our family's walk with Him. May each of you have a blessed week and thanks again for sharing in this short, but lovely window into my life. 

Another Edward Stab

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The Mother Instinct

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The Kittens Prayer

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This Video Reminds Me of Tennessee

     Me, Caleb, my friend Anna and her husband Allen, and my brother and his friend Elmo all took a trip to Tennessee together the year before last. Well, the boys were hanging out in the hot tub so me and Anna thought it would be hilarious to pour ice cold water followed by dish soap on them. They were running the jets so the hot tub turned into a huge tub of bubbles, lol. Needless to say, Anna and I went and got in...it was such a fun trip (even if we did have to drive back in a foot of snow, lol...another interesting story) and a memory I will never forget.

Hot Tub Waterfall Prank - Watch more Funny Videos

Only 199 days left to go...

...until our due date. Which for me, add a week or two onto that date and then our little one will be here...Noah didn't want to come out of Mama and I'm guessing that's how baby number two is going to be, too. TOO FUNNY!  Anyways, woke up with another migraine this morning and feeling totally crummy. Praying that the Lord will take this one away...can't wait to go to the baby doctor again next week. We get to hear baby's heartbeat for the very first time and I am so excited! :-)  I'm also going to see if the doctor has any suggestions for what I can do to relieve these migraines...right now the only thing I can take is Tylenol, but since next week I start Trimester 2, maybe there will be another medication that will be safe to take. I pray that each of you are having an awesome week...PRAISING GOD IT'S FRIDAY! :-)  Oh, Noah learned to dance...and has become a total heart melter. *grin*  This is definitely one proud Mommy!  

Loving My Hubby

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I am so blessed to have a 1 Corinthians 13 marriage! My husband is so caring and forgiving (especially right now during my hormonal pregnancy moments) and I couldn't have asked the Lord for a better spouse. Although we have our share of disagreements, the more we grow in the Lord, the easier it gets to work things out...without resentment or anger. Besides, why argue when you can kiss instead?  I love you Caleb and thanks for being an amazing husband and a great Daddy!  

Something to Think About

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Butterflies!

     I seriously just felt the baby move...obviously he/she isn't strong enough for me to feel their kicks yet, but I know 100% that was my little one. WOW...I had forgotten what an amazing moment that is; feeling life stir inside of you. I was sitting here waiting on Noah to wake up from his nap and I couldn't help but get the biggest smile on my face when it happened! :-)  I'm in week 12 so I guess it's normal for me to feel movement already, especially since this is my second pregnancy. *grin*  I felt Noah move for the first time at 14 weeks so I was expecting to have to wait a little bit longer this time, too. But, oh my goodness, what a wonderful day this is turning out to be. I go back to the doctor next week and will get to hear little one's heartbeat for the first time (I only saw the blinking white dot on the ultrasound before, which meant a strong heartbeat)....and I CANNOT WAIT!  Anyways, I hope that each of you has a wonderful day and thanks for sharing in this special moment with me!

Feeding Babies Solution

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Classical Conditioning...College Style

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11 Weeks Pregnant

     Only two weeks left and my first trimester is OVER. I can't believe it, really. With Noah, time slowed down and I felt like I was pregnant forever! Such a different experience this time around, though, lol. Anyways, here is what happening with baby this week.

11 Weeks

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming. (Found at Baby Center)


Picture of Baby

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Going Old School

I decided to find some pictures of when Caleb and I started dating...these are pretty much around 2002-2003. :-)  There are also a couple of our wedding and honeymoon thrown into the mix, as well. Hope you enjoy!

The summer after we started dating.



First year at Roanoke College.


My childhood pet...got him when I was 8 and he passed away when I was 23


Our wedding party


Our honeymoon: Key West, FL