Merry Christmas

I know it isn't Christmas quite yet but Buggy really wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to all of you! As you can she, she has become even more active over this past week. In fact, not only is she spending more time on her belly, but she is making a new sound, almost like a motorcycle with her lips. She is now a beatboxer! Not sure if she is a Matisyahu yet but she can use her lips and hum at the same time. Kid's got talent! Chloe is also standing flat footed in her exersaucer and reaching to touch her toys. I think walking is in her future, as crazy as that sounds...and creepy. Not sure if I am ready to see that tiny person walking about my house. Can you imagine her sneaking into your room at night and making that lip/motorcycle sounds? "Barrett...did you hear that?" "That wasn't me Kerry." "I didn't say it was...THAT; did you hear that?" "Shhh...It's next to the bed." "Barrett, what is it? GET IT!" AHHHHH!!!!! (a swishing sound, a laugh, lights flash on, Chloe now giving Barrett a huge hug). Sorry, got carried away in the senario. But truthfully, Bugs is growing like a weed. Happy Holidays to each of you and may God bless you during this Christmas season! (don't let the bed bugs bite) ;)

TUMMY TIME!!!

Just a quick pic to say...HELLO! She is seriously the happiest baby in the world. She wakes up laughing, smiling, and talking to her room. And just when you thought she couldn't get any cuter, she goes to Cindy's and laughs and plays all day. She is so much fun right now. Her laugh is booming and her noises keep getting louder and louder. She grabs her bottle and tries to feed herself. When she plays, she looks at you first and smiles then jumps and goes crazy. I swear if she had a theme song it would be "Get crazy, get loud" and everyone would jump and laugh. Sometimes I wish my students would take some notes from her and then I realize, that's why they drive me nuts. They get crazy and loud sometimes...they are just a bunch of grown babies. You got to love them!

It's getting COLD!

In the past couple of weeks, Chloe has had a lot of firsts. In the picture to the far left, you will see Bugs enjoying her first Christmas tree shopping experience. We went to Boone and supported Blowing Rock Baptist's Youth Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic. It was freezing and snowing but Chloe didn't seem to mind...anything. She was asleep the whole time. Our friend Teresa got Chloe hats for the winter and she is sporting them in these pics. Chloe loves the gloves and so do I...it keeps people from touching her hands. What is it with people touching babies' hands? Do they not understand that their germiness will be deposited right into their mouths? The picture on the right was taken at our church's Alpine Village Outreach. Not the best pic of me but Chloe is always the star anyway. Along with this being Chloe's first Christmas, she also rolled over for the first time. It was AWESOME! I think she was surprised at how loudly we cheered. We also got snow in Lenoir and she got to feel BIG snow flakes on her cheeks. Pics will come soon. We love you all!

A Week of Photographic Memories

I can't help it guys! It seemed like every time I turned around, Chloe was having a photo worthy moment. We can't get over how much she is changing on a daily basis. Last night I looked through photos from the past four months and was in awe of how much she has changed...and how much prettier she has gotten. I thought she was pretty in the hospital but I was wrong. Bless her heart; I guess all babies are a bit strange looking when they first enter the world. Chloe laughs and smiles so much. Sometimes she whines but now we know that she only does that when she is tired and is about to crash. Believe it or not, she sleep all night. We are talking 9:00 to 9:00 if we let her. This morning I had to get her up at 6:30 so we could leave for work and she was so tired. The Chloe zone out is precious. We have our four month appointment on Friday and I can't wait to see how much she weighs. It won't be long before she tries to crawl. She loves to stand and play and dance. Her legs are strong. Enjoy the pics and we will update you with the doctor info later in the week.

The Sweetest Sight

Barrett can calm Chloe down faster than anything I've seen. Chloe loves to sleep but sometimes she fights it during the day because she loves to play so much. Last night, for the first time, as an experiment, we did not feed her at 12:00...we let her sleep, hoping that she would make it through. SHE DID! 9:00 pm until I woke her up at 6:30, she was dreaming about rainbows, the beach, and chocolate...oh wait, that was what I was dreaming as I slept all of those hours. Thank you Jesus for a baby who loves to sleep and for a husband who loves to cuddle. Chloe is coming up on four months and is not far from having her first cereal bottle and sitting up without my help. As I look forward to these milestones, I reflect on where we were four months ago. Barrett looked at me last night and said...wow, I love her so much. That warmed my heart! I think it is easier some times for a mom, who carried the tiny one for nine months, to look at the child and say that but Dads have to warm up, have to see the personality and smell their little heads. My husband is officially smitten with our little daughter...watch out boys...he's going to be a tough one to get by.

Pictures!!!

It took a long time but the Exersaucer finally came together...literally. As I put everything together, Chloe watched with what was either excitement or a poopy. It is amazing what kids get to play with these days. When I was growing up, we played in the empty diaper boxes. We had a lot of fun...I need to start saving Chloe's. At her rate we will have a diaper box castle. Chloe is talking more and more. She has also realized that her tongue moves when she talks so she sticks her finger in her mouth to feel it. It is hilarious. Watch the video. Enjoy the pics! She is growing so fast.

The Black and White Bugs

I had to share these pictures with everyone. We have had an interesting couple of weeks. Chloe is now making the "back of the throat" gurgle sound which she makes very loudly and then laughs. She is also very consistant in grabbing onto things, especially my hair. Barrett spent time with her one night giving her candy wrappers (yes we are training our child very early to work for candy) and by the end of the night, she had it down. Now she grabs onto everything. When she eats she loves to touch your face and feel around. I always laugh at her in the morning because she is half asleep and yet trying to grab my mouth. This week she has gotten her first stuffy nose. We don't think it is a cold but we went all out and got the humidifier, vicks rub, and saline nose spray. She is pitiful. She sneezes and coughs and makes the most pitiful sounds. At first Bugs didn't mind getting her nose sucked out but now she doesn't like it very much. We are having a ball though. As she gets older, we fall more and more in love with her.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

The first Halloween was a success...she slept! We had a long weekend chaperoning the Middle School retreat so needless to say, the Bug was worn out. She stayed awake for about half of Trunk-or-Treat and then basically slept through the rest of the night. I had to wake her up this morning, and the little Bug was not happy about it. However, Chloe did have a break through yesterday.
When I get ready in the morning and shower, Chloe hangs out in her little bouncy seat which has a singing frog named Ferdenand (this is the pic in the left hand corner). For a long time I would have to pull the frog and make it sing for her but last night, Chloe decided to do it herself. It wasn't an accident either. She actually watched me pull it and she wanted to try. I had turned my back when suddenly the frog began to sing and I heard a loud giggle erupt from behind me. She got excited and shakely brought her hand up and pulled it again. It's amazing how quickly she learned to do that and now she can sing with Ferdenand without me. This is why they coined the phrase "baby steps." Love you all!

Three Months Old

I can't believe that Chloe is now 3 months old. Is this possible? Every day she learns something new and her personality comes out. She has recently taken to grabbing things with her hands and she loves to sit up. As soon as you try to lay her down, she starts to do this high pitched whine. Unfortnantly she has also picked up the habit of whinning when you try to get her to sleep. It's not annoying; it's actually kind of cute. Chloe loves to laugh and just hang out. Any time there is a toy, she wants to play. Barrett has also figured out that Chloe is obssessed with the remote control. It is magical! She also likes the TV. With it being Halloween and the scary movies are on, we have had to turn her head so she doesn't see anything to crazy.

Yes, we have a halloween costume. BUT, it is too big. She will look more swaddled like a bumble bee bug. Today we are going to get a pumpkin for our first jack o lantern. We are all excited! Enjoy the picture and video.

11 Weeks Today

Wow, I can't believe that it has been 6 weeks since I posted anything. Before Chloe came I thought I was busy but now that she is here, it is non stop at the Freeman house. Chloe is doing really well though. She discovered her feet about two weeks ago. Every chance she gets you can catch her leaning forward, grabbing at her feet, and trying to put them in her mouth.

Her noises are more intentional now. When she smiles a laugh comes out and she loves to hear high pitched sounds. We sing, dance, eat, and take walks together. Her personality is so sweet. The only time she gets fussy is when she is hungry...and she gets that from me. In the morning she greets us with a smile and a giggle. And talk about a Daddy's girl, she loves to sleep on Barrett and laugh with him. There is nothing sweeter than seeing those two together; it warms my heart.

This past weekend my parents kept her for us while Barrett and I attended a family wedding. My mom and dad fell in love with her and said that it isn't often when you have a baby that wakes up smiling and happy. We have been blessed! She is growing like a weed, already out of her NB clothes and now in 3-6 month clothes. We took her to the doctor for her 2 month appointment and her head is in the 75th percentile and she weighed 11 pounds, even though I think she is closer to 12 now. The shots were horrifying. No one warned us about that one. Barrett had to hold her down while they gave her five shots in the legs. The day afterwards she got a fever and was sick on her stomach. If I had five shots in my legs, I would be sick too! Her cry was so sweet and pitiful.

Every day we grow more and more in love with the Bug (yes, Bugs, Bug, Bugy...her nickname since birth) and we couldn't be more happy with her presence. While we don't sleep as much as we used to, every minute goes by so fast. Soon it will be Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, first dates, first kiss, prom, marriage...AHH! I'm glad it doesn't move that fast. WE LOVE YOU ALL! Enjoy the video below. Ignore my crazy noises and listen for Chloe's sweet laughs. Happy baby!

5 weeks old and smiling

I can't believe that it has been five weeks already. Chloe has become a regular part of the Freeman clan. Last weekend we took our first trip to Grandma and Grandaddy Fryar's and had a great time. My dad fell in love with our little bug and my mom couldn't get enough snuggle time. On Sunday we headed to my cousin Andy's wedding. Chloe was a champ and didn't cry one bit, even during her fussy time. We have been blessed with a baby who sleeps through the night. For the past couple of days I have had to wake her up at 8:00 in the morning. I guess she takes after her parents. She is beginning to make little gurgle sounds and smiling when she is awake. This morning she was in a great mood and smiled a lot playing on her mat. The pictures below are from our play time. Soon I will be heading back to work...not happy. But at least I have been able to spend time with her now. She is the sweetest little girl ever! She takes after her daddy.

Almost three weeks

I can't believe that it has almost been three weeks since our little angel came into this world. It has been an interesting few weeks. We have been blessed with a very good and sweet baby...hopefully I didn't just jinx it. Up until last night, she had four nights in a row that she slept from 1:00am until 7:00 am. For those of you who may not know, this is apparently unheard of. Chloe makes the sweetest little noises and the funniest faces. We find ourselves just watching her, like a fire or aquarium. Every day is a new adventure. Mary Elizabeth is here this week helping us out. Chloe loves to snuggle with her. My mom was here last week and Chloe new exactly who she was. Grandmothers are special people. Our church is continuing to bless us with meals on a every other night basis. It has been awesome not to have to worry about food. God is so good. Chloe is very active. She constantly moves and stretches and also watches the light. It won't be long before she is cooing and laughing. Barrett has already gotten her to smile and found her ticklish spot. As he changes her, he kisses her belly and neck...she is already a daddy's girl. While being a parent is harder than just being a couple, we are starting to get used to it. Chloe is a part of our family. Continue to pray for us as we strive to be all that God has comissioned us to be for her. It's a big responsibility! We love you all!

And Here's Chloe!

After 40 weeks and 4 days of anticipation, Chloe Ann Freeman decided to make her appearance on August 4th at 10:44 pm. Barrett and I went into the hospital at 4:00 am that morning to be induced and after a long day of contractions, two hours of hard pushing, and a scarey OR experience, I was finally able to hold our little gift at around 2:00 am. I can't believe that she is almost two weeks old. It seems like only yesterday we were in the hospital surrounded by nurses and visitors. It has been a crazy transition. I always thought that when people said that a baby will change your life, they meant the birthing process...now I know that they meant when the baby comes home. Between healing, lack of sleep, and getting used to caring for someone a tenth of your size, this has been quite an experience. Barrett is a great dad and is constantly looking out for both of us. He is a great swaddler and comforter to Chloe and is the ultimate waiter and shoulder to sleep on for me. I'm not quite sure what I am good at yet but I am happy to report that I am healing little by little and am glad to be able to move around a bit better.
My mother is here this week and has been a great help. Chloe is quickly learning that Grandmothers are special people who will love and take care of you. Barrett's mom is coming in this weekend and I can't wait to see how she interacts with the new tiny.
Thank you all so much for continueing to pray for us. It has been crazy, but God has blessed us with a beautiful baby! Enjoy the pictures!
PS. Please do not copy and paste these pics into your facebook/twitter/myspace accounts. If you know of someone who would like to see them, please direct them to this page. I appreciate it. Love you all.

Last post before the big day

Most of you guys have already heard either through me or family but tonight will be my last post as Kerry-wife, daughter, sister, friend...tomorrow I will add mother/mom to my list of names. Today we went into the doctor's office expecting good news but we were even more excited when the doctor told us that the good news would be here through an induction tomorrow. We go into the hospital at 4am...yeah, I didn't know that time exsisted, and we will be begin the induction process. Chloe could come out any time, hopefully more towards the a.m. hours and not p.m. We are both very excited. Our parents are all here and have been an amazing support already. Barrett and I checked into a hotel in Boone and saw a movie, took a nap, watched Shark Week, gone to dinner (the last before we become parents...oh my gosh), and gotten ice cream with the folks. It has been an amazing day. Thank you all for your prayers. I can't tell you how much we appreciate them and how much we feel them.
Not to brag on my husband too much but he has been the picture of calm excitement. Everyone knows how much I love Twilight...Barrett is like Jasper right now, just controlling the mood of the room for me. He also pulled up the video of Chloe on our blog site so we could see her one more time before we meet her in the flesh. To say that I have been blessed with the sweetest most wonderful husband in the world is an understatment. Ladies, I hope you all have one like mine.
Well, we are about to head to bed here in a little bit due to the early call time for the big show but the next time you do hear from us, it will be a new us...the Freeman Family! Love you all.

The due date arrives...but not Chloe

People have said since the beginning that Chloe would be early but call it mother's intuition or just pure obedience already but Chloe will have an August birthday. Today has been rather uneventful but wonderful. Barrett and I have enjoyed eachother's company, eaten some Mexican food, watched movies, and napped...the perfect day for soon to be parents. We have an appointment Tuesday for fetal heart and oxygen monitoring. If she makes it till then, we will discuss the possibility of induction in the next week. Bascially she can come any time but it's not good for her to stay in past this week. Chloe has become even more active these past few days and Barrett has gotten to talk and touch her before she makes her arrival. Hopefully you will see some different news soon...and see a picture or two of little Chloe Ann. Thank you for your continued prayers and sweet comments. We love you all!

July 26th...

I can't believe it is July 26th already. Vacation Bible School went really well last week. We had a great turn out and the kids had a blast. Barrett took the day off today and we have been enjoying being with one another before we add one more body in the house. I'm still feeling like Chloe will make her appearance next week and not this week. It has been an uneventful couple of weeks. Only a few Braxton Hicks a day but no real contractions. Chloe is still moving around quite a bit and she responds to music and our voices. The other day, Ewwy sat on my lap and every time Chloe moved, Ewwy licked my belly. It was pretty cute...I have loved being pregnant and enjoyed each day of God's gift. We appreciate all of your gifts, prayers, thoughts, texts, and phone calls. We are so blessed to have all of you in our lives.

10 days?

Our due date is approaching at a rapid pace. It's amazing how quickly 9 months pass when you are about to receive one of the greatest God given gifts. Our bags are packed and already in Barrett's car, ready to be taken up the mountain. This week we are having Vacation Bible School at church so we have been busy preparing and playing with the kids...I say we as if I am doing something. Barrett has been busy and I have been taking it as easy as possible. Last night two of the kids ran up to me at the end of the night and said that Barrett made Chloe and I a VBS craft. They were so excited to be the first to tell me. Is Barrett excited? I would say so! He has been praying for her constantly. Chloe moves whenever she hears his voice. I can tell that they are going to have a very special relationship. While I will always be the number one girl, she is already coming in close second...move over Cota.
Sleeping is getting more difficult as the days pass even though I feel constantly tired. I guess this is my body's way of getting me ready for little Chloe. But I can't complain about much else: no back pain, cramps, or the regular issues that I have heard women having. Barrett is convinced that Chloe is coming soon, as are most of our friends and church family. They say that Chloe has dropped and that I look ready. I don't know...they could be right but I don't feel like anything is about to happen. Chloe seems comfortable in there and I am pretty comfortable so she could stay in there for another week. As Barrett says, she will come out when she is ready. I agree.
Well, I just talked in circles but at this point, I'm glad my brain is making any sense at all. We love all of you guys and appreciate your prayers and thoughts. If anything changes, we will let you know!

3 more weeks

I know I haven't written in a while but a lot has happened in the past few weeks. Barrett and the youth came home safely from the journey across the US. In many ways they were changed. The trip was a blessing to each of them. I encourage you all to check out the cabcyouth.com website and look at their videos and pictures. These youth and chaperones opened up to the spirit of God and it is continuing to move them today. To have faith like a child is a blessing.

Barrett and I are packed for our next adventure and are awaiting the call...nature's call, to head up the mountain. The doctor said yesterday that she is head down and I am at one centimeter (which could stay that way for weeks) and if I gave birth tomorrow, all would be well. Chloe is comfortable in her quarters and is in no hurry to leave. I've been walking and swimming, trying to stay as active as I can. It is exciting to think that soon Chloe will be right here...and scary at the same time. My cousin had a baby about a month ago and she got bombarded with questions about everything from the birthing process to feeding the baby. So, if any of you have any good advice or tips, please let me know. Either comment on the post or email me at daddyskerry@yahoo.com.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I will keep you posted!

12 Days...

As you all know, Barrett has taken our youth group and ten willing chaperons on a cross country mission trip to New Mexico. The group left early Friday morning and will not be back until Wednesday, June 23rd. Please continue to pray for Barrett, the youth, the chaperons, and the people this group will touch. They seem to be doing well and are diligently working and having fun. On the home front, I've been busy but trying to rest. My sister was in town until today and she took marvelous care of me. Every time I turned around, she was doing something with the house or dinner or the dogs. I loved having her here, not just because she helped me so much, but to spend some quality time with her. Sisters are so nice to have. My mother is coming in today to spend the rest of the week before they sweep me up the mountain to hang out with the rest of my family.
Chloe seems to be doing well. She is moving quite a bit now and her movements are big ones. I can see her and feel her at many points in the day. Yesterday we went swimming at a church member's pool and Chloe loved the water and sunshine. She moved around and kicked (or punched) like crazy. I imagined her with a huge smile on her face relaxing as if she was on a float. Swimming is a beautiful thing when you are pregnant. You feel weightless and relaxed.
I guess that is all the news for now. Chloe's room is pretty much done and we have all of the basics ready to go when the time comes. Love you all and thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend we had a great time traveling to Wilmington to see friends and family. We got to stay with Matt and Kristen and their three adorable kids. Our goal was to get rest and clear our minds before we begin the final stretch. With Barrett getting ready to leave on the Mission Trip and me, well, being huge, this weekend was a perfect get away. We spent a day on the beach soaking up sun and enjoying time without having to chase Chloe around. I fell asleep on Matt and Kristen's couch twice...sitting up, which means I was very relaxed. Coming back to work was hard with that taste of summer but it was nice knowing that school will be over soon and the real summer will begin. Our next doctor's appointment is Tuesday, a week from today. We get measured and weighed. The last time I measured at 33 weeks...but don't be alarmed. Apparently being vertically challenged means that your belly sticks out more than others. We will keep you updated with any news. Have a great week!

Not too much longer

It is amazing to think that in a few short weeks, Chloe will be gracing the world with her presence. Barrett and I are getting more and more excited. Our bags are pretty much packed for the hospital and at this point we are seeing the doctor every two weeks. Chloe is continuing to be very active and is a night owl. All that we have left to do is get Barrett back from his mission trip safely. He leaves on June 11th and will be back June 23rd. No worries...my family is splitting the time and keep me company while he is gone. As for baby news? No news is good news. Mary Elizabeth got curtains made for the nursery and they are adorable. We are in the process of getting those up. Otherwise, we are healthy and excited. Thanks for the prayers and thoughts. We are so lucky to have all of you in our lives.

A Couple of New Pics

Pictures coming soon

This past Friday, Barrett and I took a trip down to Statesville to see Chloe. Our doctor's visits have rendered no good pictures of Chloe as she has either hidden herself or it has been too early to see things. However, this go around was amazing. We went to a place called "Watch Me Grow" and it specializes in 3D-4D Ultrasounds. We were able to see our daughter clearly. She has Barrett's chin and eye brows and my nose and mouth. We aren't sure about her eye shape yet but I think they will be Barrett's as well. She is BEAUTIFUL! Apparently she loves to suck on her bottom lip, wrist, thumb, and her feet. She balls herself up on my left side above my bladder and cuddles. It was crazy to watch her kick and roll and actually feel it at the same time. She even opened her eyes! Our session was 25 minutes and we got a DVD of the Ultrasound, a CD of still photos, and three printed one. We hope to put some pictures on the blog very soon. I can't express in words how special this experience was. Barrett and I fell in love with her and as soon as we got home, watched the DVD and laughed about her quirkiness already. We can't wait to see her for real in just a couple of months.

Our church threw us a shower on Sunday and we were literally showered with gifts. I have never seen such a pile of presents in my life. College Avenue has definitely become family and you can tell by the many gifts and sweet pieces of advice they have given me. When Barrett walked into the fellowship hall, he gasped. From diapers to strollers, we are being taken care of. We feel so loved!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support! I promise that pictures will come soon. We love you all!

Mother's Day Motivation

Technically I am not a mother yet. Yesterday at church, however, I noticed that many people wished me a relaxing Mother's Day. This was odd because I am used to saying "Have a good Mother's Day" but apparently when you become a mother, people say "restful" or "relaxing." It's almost like code talk for "I know that every other day is crazy and you don't get to relax so take advantage of today." I guess I know what to expect in the future. Regardless, yesterday was restful and exciting because I got to paint another sheep and bible verse on the nursery wall. Everything is coming together now. Hopefully Mary E. will bring the curtains this weekend and all that will be left to do is continue to fill it with baby supplies. The time will be here before we know it...12 weeks. Barrett and I have an appointment on Thursday to do the basic weigh in and measure and then Friday we are going to see her up close and personal in Stateville. We should have good pics to share then. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. You are all going to be an awesome community for little Chloe Ann.

Wow, time has flown by!

I don't know where time has gone...maybe I ate it...but we are on Week 25, a little over 3 months left until Chloe enters the world. Our first baby shower is Saturday in Greensboro and I am so excited to see family and friends and of course to show off my Chloe bump. Barrett and I have been staying busy but are soaking up the moments of being with one another before our new addition. One night Barrett asked what I am most looking forward to when Chloe joins our family. At this point we were cuddling on the couch, enjoying each others' company and I said "This right here, except add a little tiny baby on our laps." We are in no hurry though. The nursery is a step by step process. As you can see, we added a her name and a new sleeping sheep and when we get the baby crib, it will go underneath. Barrett and I are still waiting to see what inspires us next.
Our next doctor's appointment is Thursday. Hopefully we will have new pictures to share then. Otherwise this is the Gestational Diabetes test week which means that I get to drink some super sugary drink and see how it affects my body. Fun fun!
That is it for now. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We are so blessed to have such great friends and family members. Chloe will be truly loved.

It's moving...

It has been a rather eventful couple of weeks...for Chloe at least. Even though the doctor says I haven't gained wieght since the last check up, Chloe is definitely getting bigger. She is moving constantly. Over Easter weekend, Barrett felt her for the first time! FINALLY! I have been feeling her for months but it's better knowing that Barrett can feel her too. A couple of times she has gotten a good kick in. Today, as my class was watching a movie, I had my arm resting next to my stomach and she kicked so hard that my arm moved. Not having felt the power of the kick, I was startled and my class was intrigued! If I could get them to be interested in grammar the way they are interested in Chloe, I would be good to go.

Chloe's room is coming along...slowly. I hung up her name letters on the wall and the next step is to paint some Really Woollys next to them. Maybe next week. Barrett and I are going to the Spring Carolina Blue and White Football game this weekend and I can't wait for Chloe to experience the excitement of the crowd. She already gets psyched up when we are in church. Next weekend we have our first shower put on by Mi Familia in Greensboro. I am really excited to see everyone and to celebrate little Chloe.

I think that is all of the news from the baby end of things. Our next appointment is on the 22nd...Gestational Diabetes testing...yay. Hopefully then we will have new pictures to share. LOVE YOU ALL!

And we continue to grow

It's been a while since I have updated all of you but the truth is, not much has changed. Chloe is beginning to move a lot more even though Barrett still can't feel her. I can't wait until he can though because it is an amazing feeling. I started painting murals in Chloe's room and am really excited about it. My mother has given me these Christian based cards called "Really Woolly" and they have become the theme for Chloe Ann's room. Soon her walls will be filled with fluffy sheep dancing, jumping, laughing, and praying. My parents came to visit last weekend and even brought Chloe her first "Really Woolly" sheep named Grace. Significance? "Ann" means "grace." We are both looking forward to our next appointment coming up on April 1st, our anniversary. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as our family continues to grow.

Good Morning Lenoir!

It's about time for the weekly update and I have to say that a lot has changed in one week. Barrett and I are settling into our new bungalow on Pennton Ave., we have painted Chloe's room a minty shade of green, and my belly is officially big enough for others to notice that I am pregnant. Mary Elizabeth, Barrett's momma, has been a huge help in getting our home to the state it is in now and she has made the nursery look more like a room for a baby and less like any room in the house. Today Barrett and I have another doctor's appt. and we are looking forward to seeing Chloe. She is active in the mornings at around 10 o'clock. I feel her in the belly just moving around, dancing or kicking. Some friends of ours came over the other night baring baby gifts of pink onsies, a fluffy blanket (which I'm pretty sure Barrett sleeps with but I have no evidence at this time,) and a pink Carolina shirt...football season is around the corner. Chloe now has style. We feel so blessed to have a church family who loves us and takes care of us and even more blessed that we have friends and family that may seem far away but are so close to our hearts. Keep praying for our little family!

Video Time

Here's a video we made to have fun with the kid at church. They had a little contest going about boy or girl. Just click below:

And the winner is...

We are very happy to report that we will be welcoming a baby girl to the Freeman house on July 31st 2010! YAY! Chloe Ann is 8 oz. right now and is adorable. We got to see her yesterday sucking her thumb and moving around. When the doctor switched to the 4D images, she turned her back to us...either she is shy or just wasn't quite ready to show us her beautiful face. What is crazy is that yesterday morning I felt her move for the first time. It was the most amazing feeling ever. I called Barrett immediatly and told him that I loved him so much! God is so awesome and I mean that in the awe struck way. This morning I felt her move again. I guess she is really awake at 10:00. We took pictures and have a couple of videos that I will share with everyone as soon as we get them up and ready. Since this week we have also been moving into our home, it has been crazy. Things will definitely start slowing down now and then maybe we can start on the nursery...YAY! We love all of you and will keep you updated on all the news.

Last blog before the big day!

I guess you could say that next week will include a lot of "big days" for Barrett, Baby, Ewwy, Cota, and I. We are moving ourselves down the mountain to our rental house. It is a very cute little place but I have two favorite rooms. One is the screened in back porch which is going to be amazing once spring comes. The other, and I bet you can guess, is the nursery. When we first walked through this house, I fell in love with this one room with tiny built in shelves and windows that looked into the garden and greenery. Barrett planned out where our imaginary furniture would go and before we knew it, we were signing the lease. We are very excited to move the family down where we can be close to work and be out of the bad weather.

But moving is not the "big day." Oh no, in less than a week, we will get to see our little one on the screen waving and dancing. And while we are psyched to find out the gender, it is even more exciting to actually see the baby again and this time give it a name that it will have for the rest of its life. Continue to pray that all is well as we approach this day and the days to come. The next time we blog, there will be more exciting news to share. Love you all...

Life in the fast lane

Barrett and I are counting down to the March 2nd date to find out whether we will be having a baby girl or baby boy. I can't tell you how excited we are. Yesterday I was doing some baby reading, and it's amazing how much of that you end up doing, and I read that at this point in pregnancy, your baby moves, dances, and responds to your touch. How amazing! A friend of ours did her testimony for Project 515 at church and said she didn't know how anyone can have a baby and not believe in God...that is so true. As this process continues, I am astounded by the changes my body goes through and the changes in the little body too. Last night I just rubbed my belly and thought...wow, Barrett and I are so lucky that God loved us so much that He gave us eachother and now he is giving us someone that we can love and take care of and we both made. Even though life seems crazy on the outside, I've never felt more at peace. Continue to pray for our little family! OH...last night Ewwy was sitting on my lap and I swear he felt the baby move because he laid his ear on my stomach and just sat there...how cool is that.

Snow, snow, and more snow

It is amazing how God blesses us sometimes and we don't notice. We have gotten so much snow this year, and I mean record amounts. This past week we enjoyed our first blizzard which added even more white stuff to the already frozen tundra. On most occasions this would bring on the worst case of cabin fever ever but I feel that God has given Barrett and I this time to rest. As everyone knows, we stay pretty busy. It has been nice to spend some alone time and to really stay in touch with the baby. God always knows what we need and sometimes has to make executive decisions when we wouldn't normally listen. He has used the weather so far...and maybe that is why this pregnancy has been so great. I'm just glad that the little one is so warm in there and, to tell you the truth, keep me warm in my heart and body. Until next time...

Brushing your Teeth

No one warned me that when you are pregnant, the small events in your life become a big deal. I mean yes, you are way more emotional but brushing your teeth? That is just crazy. For those of you who have not been pregnant and for the men out there, brushing your teeth becomes tricky because any movement beyond the gagging threshold could send you running to the bathroom. Along those same lines, I set my first dentist appointment for a teeth cleaning. I've never been nervous about the dentist office but now my palms are sweaty and I get the distinct feeling that something bad is going to happen. Call me paranoid but knowing that I can't brush my teeth in the comfort of my own home without feeling nauseated doesn't make me feel very confident about someone else doing it for me.

As for the baby? We are counting down the days until we find out what the furry monkey is. Until then we have referred to it as "him" a lot. He has stayed warm in the midst of freezing, icy, snowy weather and is about to enjoy his first baby shower for a friend. All is well. Until next time...

Brushing your Teeth

We are pregnant!

Okay so we are a little late getting this up and running but "we're really doing it!" Barrett and I are officially 15 weeks pregnant and counting. Our next appointment will be March 2nd where we get to figure out whether the furry monkey will be a boy or a girl. We are both feeling pretty strongly about the little one being a boy but we are happy with a healthy, happy baby. I was very lucky in that the first trimester wasn't really that bad. Other than feeling yucky at night, I pretty much kept everything down.(TMI) Right now I am feeling the delight of hunger...a lot. My kids are awesome at school. They ask me everyday how the baby is and when we find out what the gender will be. Even the boys are starting to warm up to it. They ask if I need anything moved and they don't let me pick up books. The youth kids at church are constantly touching the belly. This child is already super loved by all ages...the making of a good sports star? More updates to come...