Pics

Here's some new &old pics

Baby Moon...can u tell that we are happy?

Baby Moon location

Chris & my nephew working on the nursery

SOME of the shower gifts

Date night in May(~22 weeks)

Belly Pic (25 weeks)

Thinking of how our life  will change forever!

Baby Moon Pic 30 weeks

Belly @13 weeks

32 weeks (7.17.10)

What an amazing weekend!

From the day that I knew we were expecting, my mind immediately went fast forward to maternity photos, baby showers, nursery set up, etc. This dream started in August 2007 but did not manifest until this past Saturday.

Our families came together to host a baby shower for us & Ethan. The shower was nothing short of AMAZING! I am so thankful for the outpouring of love & support. I think my Mom was more excited about the shower than I was. She HAD to have linen & China, she is sooooo much a Queen! My sisters were also so excited!

There was a photographer there, so as soon as I get the pics, I will post them.

My cousin Jemine, has been a wonderful blessing to my life. She is a midwife in Delaware. She was adamant about traveling to make it to the shower. I picked her up from the airport on Friday night and we chatted & laughed until 2:30 Saturday morning.

Our day was busy but filled with lots of love & excitement.

The nursery is starting to shape up. The crib, dresser, glider & ottoman are up. The only thing left to assemble is the changing table. I’ll post pics of that soon also. I think I walked into the nursery numerous times yesterday just to open the dresser drawers to look at the baby clothes.  Aww, it was such a beautiful site!

My dear friend, Sam informed me that I have not posted any pics of myself this pregnancy. I have been taking the pictures but I just haven’t been posting them. So, there will be quite a few pics to post really SOON!

On another note, we’re 31 weeks! I feel great. Last night, Chris asked , “ Babe, are you hot” I said, “No, why?”. He said, “ it looks like you are sweating on your nose”. I had to remind him that “my nose is constantly filled with grease, get used to it”. :0)

I will start seeing my regular OB every 2 weeks now and my last visit with my FAVORITE OB will be next Friday.

Week Thirty: Baby puts on pounds

Week Thirty: Baby puts on pounds


You are 30 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 28 weeks)

•Baby measurements are 16 inches and weighs about 3 pounds.

•Length is 40cm and your baby's weight is 1.4 kilograms.

•The head is almost 3.5 inches (8cm) in diameter.

•The feet are nearly 2.5 inches (6cm) long.

•The wrinkled skin is becoming smoother now.

•In boys, the testicles have moved down to the groin.

•The baby controls its own body temperature.

For several months, the umbilical cord has been the baby's lifeline to the mother. Nourishment is transferred from the mothers blood, through the placenta, and into the umbilical cord to the fetus. Their bone marrow is now responsible for red cell production. These red blood cells will continue to service your child's body by transporting oxygen and removing the wastes. Your baby begins storing iron, calcium and phosphorus.

The fetus now weighs about 3 pounds (1.4kg). He or she will gain about half a pound a week until week 38. Baby is getting fatter and beginning to control its own body temperature. Baby continues to put on fat stores and the major weight gains will occur in the coming weeks. Eyebrows and eyelashes are fully developed, and hair on the head is getting thicker. Head and body are now proportioned like a newborn. Hands are now fully formed and fingernails are growing, eyelids are opening and closing.

You may be starting to experience some swelling of your ankles and legs. If you have not experience swelling yet, it is highly probable that you will, as approximately 40 to 75 percent of women experience mild swelling related to pregnancy.


Your uterus is now about 4 inches (10cm) above your bellybutton. It may feel like you are running out of room as your uterus grows up under your ribs. However, your fetus, placenta and uterus will continue to get larger, you still have 10 weeks to go. The average weight gain during pregnancy is 25 to 35 pounds (11.5 to 16kg). About half of this weight is concentrated in the growth of the uterus, the placenta, the baby and in the volume of amniotic fluid. At this point, you should be gaining about a pound (500 grams) a week.

Here's a little treat!

My Husband had to sing in a wedding last weekend. I went to the rehearsal on Friday night and couldn't help but to pull out my cell phone & record several videos of my husband singing.  I had to sit behind him for the video because he would have probably taken the phone had he known that he was being recorded.

(I'm pretty sure he's gonna kill me for this) :0)

Each night, I place my cell phone on my stomach & play 2 of the videos again & again for Ethan. How wonderful for him to hear his Daddy let him know that he's beautiful, he's everything we've hoped for and everything we need~

Awww, its absolutely BEAUTFUL to me!

My only regret is that I don't have a video from Saturday. He absolutely NAILED it. He sang this song as the bride entered the church. Everyone was turned to face her and I was zoned all the way in on Chris as he serenaded Ethan & I. The bride had some difficulties getting into place, which meant that Chris had to keep singing!!! It was GREAT!

Enjoy! ( and if you know him & happen to see him out...you

KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THESE VIDEOS) shhh!

1st run thru of song

Part 2

Be careful what you say!

I need to have a little venting session. Continue reading if you’d like to join my sarcasim & I for a chat.

So, I’m leaving work today and Just as I pack all of my things up, a stranger walks into my office. “ YOU are the one that leaves handprints on the desk”. I laughed and realized that it was the cleaning lady that usually comes in after hours. I explained that I’m guilty…lotion & I have a thing going on. Thanks to this wonderful pregnancy, I make about 15 trips to the bathroom each day and the bathroom soap dries my hands out. I have to keep ‘em moisturized. ( as evidenced by the handprints on my desk)

We introduced ourselves and she asked me, “ How far along are you”?

“ 7 months” I replied.

“ You don’t look that big. Is this your 1st baby"?
( NOTE: don’t ask questions that you may not want to know the answers to)

“ No ma’am, he’s actually our 4th. I’ve lost 3 daughters but he will be the 1st that we bring home”.

“ Oh no, don’t tell me that” Ms. H says


“ Yes Ma’am, I have an incompetent cervix which causes me to go into premature labor. My girls were perfectly fine, just born to early to sustain life”

( in her deep, spiritual voice)

“ Well, you know sometimes we want something so bad but it is not God timing. And if its not God timing it just won’t happen. You know that was GOD’S WILL, it just wasn’t time for those girls to be born….but THIS one will be just fine” She said that she had chills ( that means she was feeling the “ SPIRIT” ) and proceeded to do the hokey pokey and turn herself around in my office.

I HAD to stop her.

Respectfully, I had to let her know that

1. my husband & I are believers & he’s a minister of the Gospel. Our losses were not because we had a lack of faith or prayer.

2. I have in the past used terms like, “ it was God’s will” or “ it was on God’s timing” in an effort to encourage or “ make sense” out of tragedy or disappointment. However, living such a dreadfully horrific experience THREE times made me question EVERYTHING about GOD AND His will and certainly made me very skeptical about using those words EVER again.

I mean, I have known of God ALL my life and have been in relationship with Him since I was a pre-teen. So, how is it that someone who has known me all of 5 minutes effective in telling me that it was GODS WILL for my imperfect body to evict three perfect yet premature daughters on 3 separate occasions? How could she imply that I wanted the pregnancies so bad but it wasn’t God’s timing, so He “took” them???? (is God an Indian giver) Really?


I explained that my cervical issues were my issue. She asked ,” well, why is this one < Ethan> okay? I explained that I had a surgery to place a band around my cervix to prevent a repeat of my prior experiences. I believe some things really are medical, while others are spiritual. It frustrates me trying to figure out which is which.

3. Sometimes children of God suffer although we don’t fully understand the reason or intent. However, I assured Ms. H that our suffering via the losses of Destiny, Briauna, & Madison have been the greatest ministry tool ever. So, despite all the unknowns, God is still glorified. Mrs. H proceeded to do the hokey pokey and turn herself around in my office again & explained how Job suffered & how his wife wanted him to curse God.

SMH…I was just DONE. I simply needed someone to put a fork in me.

I thanked Ms. H for cleaning our offices and told her to have a good weekend.

She touched my stomach ( ??%*@^$@) and said ” this one is blessed” ( AS IF THE GIRLS WERE CURSED???) and , “ Nice meeting you DENISE”….LOL, no need to remind her that my name is Tanika. BLESS HER HEART!


I am not receptive to anyone who tries to rationalize, spiritualize, and/or explain our losses or the success of our current pregnancy. Hell, even I don’t know!!! But I am okay with NOT knowing the WHY’s and understanding that it is all working out for my good and for HIS glory.

People please, be careful what you say!

Question

anyone know how to upload a video? I have something that I wanna share!

I've uploaded youtube videos before but this one is not from youtube & I can't seem to post.

Any suggestions!

A blogger in distress :0)

Week 29 development

Week Twenty Nine: Movement is more forceful


You are 29 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 27 weeks)

Your baby now weighs about 2 and a half pounds (1150gm)

and is about 15 inches (38.5cm) long from head to heel.

Brain is busy developing billions of neurons.

Baby's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature.

The fetus can taste and respond to pain.

The milk teeth have developed under the gums.

The baby's head is growing bigger to accommodate the brain, which is busy developing billions of neurons. The eyes can move in their sockets. They may be able to follow a blinking light. As well as your baby's increasing sensitivity to changes in light, they may also be able to taste. Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences or dislike for particular tastes at this stage.

Baby is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, they will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if baby is performing somersaults for an olympic gold medal. Baby may be performing fewer movements because living conditions in the womb are becoming more cramped. The baby is still doing a lot of kicking and stretching. Some of your baby's kicks and punches may even take your breath away.

Baby hears things better from the vibrations all around, and can now distinguish real sounds and voices. Do not forget to continue to 'teach' your baby in the womb by exposing them to music, literature, and simply talking to them. At this stage baby eyes are almost always blue and can distinguish bright sunlight or artificial light through the uterine wall.


At week twenty nine, your baby measures about 11 inches (28 cm) from crown to rump, or a total length of about 15 inches (38cm) from head to heel, and weighs about 2.5 pounds (1150gm).