Starting the Baby Room!

So yesterday my mom and I found the crib and bedding for Landon's room!! I absolutely cannot wait to get everything together! Today I am going to clean out his room because we are currently using it for storage. We have found sooo much cute stuff, including clothes, blakets and even a coming home outfit! They will come deliver and put the crib together this weekend! And then in two weeks I will have my first shower!!! AHH! I am so excited. I love everything I registered for and I cannot wait to use it! I still have 3 more months.. but it is going by so fast! This semester has flown by. I knew that would happen but you dont realize it until you are actually experiencing it. Taylor and I are doing really well in school. I am making 2 As and 1 B and Taylor is making all As and Bs as well. His band is playing at the UTSA Battle of the Bands this coming weekend and he also got a really cool show in San Marcos in November. We will have another baby shower November 19th in Port Neches and we are going to spend Thanksgiving there. We will spend Christmas in Corpus then go back to PN probably the 26th of Dec. Its crazy because we are having to split holidays now. I've always just gone home. This will be my first Thanksgiving without my family, but Ill be with a new family. Its just what happens when you grow up I guess.

Its still hard to believe all of this is happening. Taylor and I are still doing really well. Things are running smoothly, something we both didnt quite expect. It has been a blessing though. I am a hardcore planner and detail oriented and hes sooo laid back. I think we are a good balance for each other. He was in San Marcos yesterday hanging out with his friend Chris who will be the Godfather of the baby. Tori is the Godmother. I think we both picked good reliable people. I have known Tori since middle school and am 100% confident that she will fulfill her job duties as Landon's Godmother. Taylor is the same with Chris. Like I have said before, we are both lucky to have such supportive friends. Bailey and Paige got to feel Landon kicking the other day. I love how all my friends want to be there for me. I want them all to be there in the waiting room so they can see him on his first day. We decided that it will just be Taylor and I in the delivery room then my mom will come in right after to help me and take care of my while everyone goes to see Landon. I need to write a birth plan, register at the hospital and find a pediatrician. Those are my goals for month 6.

I have been feeling good. Walking around all day yesterday was hard on my feet and lower back. Thats whats been bothering me the most, my back. Sleeping witht the boppy pillow has helped some but I think that its just hard to either be sitting all day or standing all day. I need support. Landon is moving around like crazy. I am starting to see him kick just by looking at my belly. It will move and its so funny to see. Hes been getting up really high in my belly right close to my ribs and above my belly button. Hes pretty strong and very active. It is fun to wonder what he will be like and look like. I am hoping he is a good baby so I can take him places, but you never know. Jenna and Blake were colicky and so was Taylor. We will just have to see! I go to the doctor on Tuesday again and Jenna is coming with me. I think she will really like seeing him.

Ok thats all for now. I have to finish some household chores today!!

Love,
Alyssa, Landon and Taylor

23 weeks and 3 days

So here I am getting bigger and bigger every day. Sleeping is getting more uncomfortable and I am tossing and turning a lot. I need the bobby body pillow, which I will probably get today! I cant believe how time is flying by. Landon is getting bigger and moving around a lot! I had a doctors appt last week and he just wanted to check my uterus and cervix to make sure everything was ok. My cervix is 4cm which is normal and baby is growing like he's supposed to. I will have another ultrasound in 2 weeks. This is my "critical" period but thank God everything is turning out fine.

So today is Sunday and thank God for weekends! I am not looking forward to another busy week but at least its not as bad as previous weeks! This weekend has been full of fun events! One of my best friends, Bailey!!!!!, got engaged on Friday!!! Finally! We went and got her nails done thursday and they were perfect for her beautiful ring. It is crazy to think that I will have a child at her wedding! Then on Saturday me and Taylor went to register at Babys R Us! It took us 3 hours... LOL! But we are new parents and didnt have any help so I think we did pretty good! We got almost everything we needed and I think we had a good time doing it. Last night we just hung out on the couch. Tay wasnt feeling well and I am always tired so it worked out pretty well in our favor. Its been nice to sleep in and relax this weekend. Next weekend my mom is coming down so we can work on Landon's room! We have a few beddings picked out and we are going to look at cribs and paint. So far we know the room will be blue, Landon's name will be above his crib on records and there will be an awesome guitar wall decor and I get a rocking chair! I think it will all come together really well.

Everything else has been good. I have been feeling good and able to eat a lot. I know I am gaining weight. I was 134 my past doctors visit so now I am just gaining more and more. Its still weird to see myself getting fat, even though I know its a baby and not fat... I still feel fat. I definitely get looked at differently. Anyway, I guess that is all normal! Other than that everything is good! Looks like I am healthy and thankfully not gaining weight anywhere else but my belly! I cant wait to get back into shape after he's born. My goal is to get back down to pre-preg weight by 6 months after I deliver. I think that is a reasonable goal, and supposedly breastfeeding helps a ton!

If you want to check out my registry go to babysrus.com and its under my name: Alyssa Lankford

Love,
Taylor, Landon and Alyssa

5 months pregnant

Well time is sure going by fast! I hit my 5-month mark so four more months until my life substantially changes! This past week has been busy but good. I was super busy with school work, then was in Dallas all weekend for Pathways graduation, and had a work evaluation at 8am this morning! Mama and Landon are tired!!! This week is a little easier though, so I am thankful. And I finally have free weekends!! But they are still packed with things to do... Gosh, story of my life! I think taylor and I are going to look at paint for the baby room and hopefully register some items at Babys R Us!! Yay! I have a doctors appt tomorrow. I probably wont get a sonogram, just listen to the heartbeat. I am pretty sure I am gaining weight by now. My tummy is huge, well I think its huge and its only going to get bigger!! ahhh! What to expect says that this next month will be a huge growth spurt! Its still weird seeing myself being pregnant. I am so not used to it still, but maternity clothes have really made my life better. Landon has been moving a lot, especially when I wake up, a few times during the night and when I eat. He's about a pound now and I will be 23 weeks on Thursday! That is so crazy!!!!!! I really cant believe how fast its been going. Its already midterms for school and its only getting busier and busier! Work is kind of a drag... I enjoy it but I wish I didnt have to work. I'd like to keep my job for the extra money and experience, but I will have to quit around Christmas time.

Anyway, I have been feeling good. I have a keen sense of smell, big belly, and huge apetite! I thought I'd never like food again. I think I can feel a growth spurt because I get SOOO hungry! I need snacks in between meals or I will go crazy. I think this is where "eating for two" starts to kick in! Other symptoms include: peeing like a race horse, wanting to devour icecream almost every day, tossing and turning at night, unable to stand for long periods of time, getting more out of breath when walking, acne (ugh, still), need of naps that I dont seem to get enough of, poor memory, back and neck aches, heartburn and acid reflux (occasionally). Other than that, what they say is true.. Second trimester is fun! People are noticing my belly and wanting to touch it, which I dont mind. I am not miserably huge (yet). And supposedly I have a "glow". Thankfully, I havent gained weight anywhere else. The thought of gaining 20 pounds is really freaky, but its all in my belly so far! No weight gain in my arms, legs or butt.. so far! I am grateful that I am not one of those women who gain like 50 pounds then can never get it off!! I do need to start exercising and really really really need to sign up for our birthing classes. I will do that tomorrow!

We are getting more excited as time goes on and as Landon grows. We cant wait to start getting ready for him and I am wanting to get into nesting mode ASAP! I just wish I had more time. Baby shopping is going to be uberly fun and I think everyone is excited for that. Still greatful for amazing friends and family!!

Love,
Alyssa, Taylor and Landon (he's the size of a papaya now)

IT'S A BOY!!!!

Yay we finally got to annouce the sex of our baby!! We had such an amazing and fun weekend with all of our family and friends. Its exciting for our families to get together and know each other a little more. Jamie was completely freaking out which was funny, my dad kept looking at me as if I was an alien, and everyone was so happy and supportive when we cut the cake. Actually, when the grandparents cut the cake!! It was such a blessing to be able to join together with family and friends to celebrate this little precious baby boy. So, we can officially call the baby HIM and HE, not IT anymore! Other than that everything has been going well. I have been feeling great, thank God. I went to my second mentoring moms bible study tonight and I am really happy that I got plugged into something with other moms who can giive me guidance. School has been picking up and each week it gets busier and busier. Taylor has been doing well with taking 18 hours and might even get a part time job, just to get some good experience and extra cash. We are still so grateful for our parents support right now. We are also debating whether to get another dog. I still miss kobi everyday and think about him everyday but it has gotten easier. I just dont want to take on too much we cant handle. But we are thinking about it.

Landon James is about a pound now and growing and moving more each day. It is so cool to feel him more and more. I love it. I cant belive I am already going to be 5 months!! I still feel like I have so much to do before he gets here. We need to register for the showers, take our birthing classes, register at the hospital, and most importantly, get his room ready!! I want to paint and get his furniture and make it really really cute looking! After this weekend I will have a few weekends to really start planning things so that will be good. This week is just crazy... I have a test and a research paper due and then PWs all weekend! But next week wont be as hectic thank goodness... I need a week or two or three off!

Most importantly, other than Landon being so amazing right now, is that Taylor and I have been so extremely happy. We never thought that things would turn out this way but it has been better than either of us could have imagined. I feel a distinct love for him, not only as the father of my child but as the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I never thought that I would say that about him but he has really been the best thing that could have happened in my life right now. Its one of those things that no one really understands but us. And I am ok with that. I dont want to try to convince people that this is real and that I am the most happy I have ever been and that this situation is turning out perfectly, because people would think its fake. All we can do is live our lives and love each other deeper and deeper each day. I am so thankful and blessed to have the life I do. I really feel like God has blessed me so much, and I really dont know what I did to deserve this. It might not look ideal to the average person, but for me its the best thing that could have ever happened in my life. And I dont have to sit here and try to make myself happy or convince myself that this is the right thing to do because I know it is right. When you know, you just know. I always thought that that was the biggest bunch of bull but its so true! Sorry if that makes people cringe... it used to make me cringe but I just cant help but smile and be happy. And for once in my life, I dont have to fake my happiness or put on a happy face to make others think I am ok.... It is genuine happiness and an overwhelming joy that fills my heart. I couldnt be more blessed!


Thanks to everyone who reads along with this and for Taylors family and friends as well as my own. We know that this has been a crazy ride but we appreciate the prayers and blessings yall have bestowed upon us and the faith yall have in us. We are so fortunate to have such an amazing support system and the best friends a couple could ask for!!

Love,
Alyssa, Taylor and Landon