Ho Ho Holy Crap...

"Get her out!" All of the late pregnancy cliches have been said recently in the Gillot household. Brandy is in good spirits, but simple tasks seem to take increasingly more effort. Rightfully so, Sunday marked the 39th week. Here's a photo to prove that Christmas really did happen this year. Although you wouldn't be able to tell by the looks of our house. We did manage to put up the 1.5 foot tall fiber optic tree to appease our friend Martha who forewarned us that no tree equals bad luck for the coming year. Happy Holidays! Here's to not overshooting the due date.

Pregnancy Photos

Hello Week 37! Can you believe that it is almost time for us to meet our daughter? Some days I feel like I will be pregnant forever and then there are the days that I realize in a few short weeks I will be starring into Addison's eyes.

My incredible husband starting harassing....Mmmerrmm...I mean politely suggesting that we schedule a pregnancy photo shoot. I have to admit that several weeks ago it just sounded like one more thing on the dreaded TO-DO list. He was persistent and took the time to make the pictures his project. He kept reminding how beautiful I am and that I will not look like this for very much longer (insert collective sigh). Yes, I am completely aware of just how lucky I am. When you haven't seen your own feet in months it is wonderful to know that your partner considers your body beautiful. Addy and I hit the jackpot with this wonderful guy! I know I will cherish these pictures always!

Eddie contacted our dear friend Anna Adesanya. She is an incredible artist. If you find yourself in need of photography I highly suggest her! You can view her photos at http://www.annaadesanya.com/

Here are just a few of the professional photos from Week 36!

Ode to a friend

I remember you dear friend.

I saw you in a picture recently and I wondered if you would ever come back to me

You must still be there for I can feel you holding me up
(But when I look down all I can think is what the *!#*?)

Has anyone seen my ankles?

If you know where they have gone please tell them I said hello and I look forward to their return.

The same message can be applied to my feet and basically anything below my waistline.

Home Stretch

Welcome to week 36! The nursery is complete. The batteries and diapers are stocked. The car seat is installed and the bags are packed. Basically, we're ready!! Of course, there are always odds and ends to tie up but Addison could come tomorrow and we would be prepared. The biggest things we have left to do are labor exercises and practicing some breathing techniques.

The doc was concerned with how Addison was measuring so we got an unexpected sonogram on Thursday. No need to worry. She measured right on course. She actually was measuring a day ahead of schedule. The bad news is that she has dropped below Brandys pelvis and is causing some unnecessary pain. Brandy is soldiering through beautifully. Here are some scans of the sonogram.

Those are some big lips. The next Angelina Jolie?

We can't wait to meet our beautiful child! Here's the newest pic of Brandy and "the belly."

Showered with Love!

Eddie and I have been blessed throughout the years. We often reminisce about the adventures that we shared in our youth. As children we were surrounded by people who were full of creativity and strength. We both come from supportive families that encouraged us to go out and seek even more love and support from dear friends who would in turn become our extended family. That is one thing that has not changed. We continue to be surrounded by some of the most amazing individuals. Our family of friends has enriched our lives in ways that are far too precious to list. I hope that each of you know how truly special you are! We are truly grateful to stand in a circle that is full of so much love and light!

Our baby shower is just one of MANY examples of how blessed we are. I can't wait to introduce Addison to all of the amazing family and friends who so anxiously awaited her arrival. I want to thank all who have offered advice, a shoulder to lean on, babysitting services, and above all else your love and well wishes.

Here are some pictures from Addison's baby shower!

Two of my favorite women. Granny Linda and Auntie K-Dawg made this a magical day!

Mama Elba showing us the most beautiful scrapbook that she made for baby Addison. It is already filled with so much family history. It is just waiting for Addy's personal touch!


My aunt Kellie who is truly my dearest friend made this beautiful quilt out of pieces of fabric that belonged to Addison's great grandmother (Billie Jean Huffman) and
great great grandmother (Lucille Adamson).

Priceless material pieced together by the most beautiful of hands!

This amazing quilt was made by Addsion's grandmother (Linda Gillot) and great grandmother (Helen Gillot). We will cherish this always!

The sanctuary was filled with fresh flowers adorned with butterflies! A big thanks to Mama Elba for making the gorgeous arrangements.

Holy Pelvic Pain!

The last few weeks I have been experiencing a little bit of discomfort. It felt like I had a bruised pubic bone. As a pregnant woman I was not too terribly concerned. After all I have parts of my body that feel bruised that I didn't even know I had.

A few days ago this bruised sensation turned into "OH MY GOD I THINK THAT MY PUBIC BONE IS GOING TO DISLOCATE FROM THE REST OF MY BODY!" I was usually shouting this as I grabbed onto the closest steady object while bending forward and yelling at my feet.

Today the pain, combined with some cramping, was significant enough that I decided to contact my doctor. I went in for an unplanned visit this afternoon. As always he took his time listening and assuring me that we would figure out what exactly was going on. He listened to Addison's heartbeat which is strong and steady. He measured my belly which has made a great jump in size the past week and then he began the rest of the exam.

About one minute into the exam he looked at me with a giant smile and said I can tell you exactly what is going on and I can also tell you what you can do about it. Of course I breathed a sigh of relief. I was sure that this medicine man was about to make all my pain disappear.

He explained that most women carry their babies just above their pelvis. He then held up two fingers and pointed to his knuckle. He grinned and said this is where your daughter is located. It appears that in keeping with tradition Addison and I continue to push the bounds of a "normal" pregnancy. Our little Addy has decided to drop her head BELOW my pelvis.

Good News: Addison is head down!
Bad News: Her head is grinding into my pubic bone!

The treatment for this is to bend over and scream at your feet for the next 6 weeks. Every time she flinches she is bone on bone and rubbing against numerous nerves and tendons.

The next several weeks should prove to be very interesting. However I am sure that spending a lifetime loving this little rule breaker will prove to be even more interesting.

By the way...Have any of you noticed how big my husbands head is? I am not talking about his ego here. I mean this man cannot buy a hat from the store because they will not fit! Just one of those things you don't notice until you are ready to give birth.

Week 31! I am due in 57 days! I can hardly believe that in about 57days I will get to stare into my daughters eyes. Time seems to be moving so fast. Many of our friends and family have warned us how fast time flies once the baby arrives. I can't imagine because I already feel like we are moving at warp speed.

Me and baby Addison received rave reviews at our last doctor's appointment. They estimate that she will be around 7lbs "if" I deliver on time. The doctor chuckled and told me all bets are off if I go past my due date. Evidently a little extra time in the oven really encourages babies to pack on the extra pounds.

Addison is getting so strong. Her movements are now noticeable without even having your hand on my tummy.

Georgia vs. Florida Game Day (hence the red)
Dawgs loose big. :(

Perspective

1. There are currently items in our refrigerator that will expire after Addison's due date!

2. She now enjoys nestling in my rib cage

3. In my past dreams I have always been with my baby boy. Last night I was singing to my baby girl.

84 Days and Counting

Little Addison is weighing in at a whopping 2.5lbs. She can stroke her face, suck her thumb, and she is capable of recalling sound. She appears to enjoy drumming especially if I find the energy to dance along with her. Basically she is brilliant and perfect in every way!

We have officially arrived at the third trimester. I fall more in love with this little girl every day. We have started making plans for her birthday and with every detail I become more excited. The birth team is assembled and I am working on my birth plan (the first draft!).

Below you will find some pictures of her newly decorated nursery.

28 Weeks!

Lining the letters up on the wall doubled as a team building exercise :)

The bedding is a gift from Aunt Paula and Aunt Mandy!

This mirror was a gift from my Granny. I love that this hangs in Addy's nursery!

Precious and Pregnant

Brandy at 26 weeks

Cribs, Dressers, Boppies and Bumbos, Registries, Classes, Onesies and Pumps!

TIME OUT!

Five years ago I realized I desired to have children. Six months ago that desire became a reality. That point onward has been a whirlwind of emotions, dreams, and studious work! And though we've blogged our experience, I feel there is one very important element that hasn't been given it's proper acknowledgment; our Beautiful Mother.

Brandy, now 26 weeks pregnant and right on track, amazes me every day with her determination to not only create life but prepare for it. Making lists and marking them off, consuming information, laundering baby clothes, and building a nursery to name a recent few. All of this while maintaining the everyday. Working, cleaning, teaching, supporting me, and socializing to name a very few. Did I mention that she is creating life? A feat tiring in and of itself!

I don't mean to sound patronizing or to imply that a woman couldn't do all of these things at once. I simply want to express my profound appreciation for the woman in my life that I am forever in awe of.

Brandy Nicole; pushing through the aches and pains, kidney stones, and contact rejecting eyes. I am so proud of you as the spectacular woman that you are! I can't wait for the day that we get to meet our daughter. I look forward to the days we share as Mother and Father. And for every day here and into the future...I Love You.

Addy's Room

In just a few short months we will bring home our sweet baby girl. To prepare we thought it would be nice if she had a place to sleep. Eddie did much research and we finally reached a decision on the nursery furniture. We received a call a few days ago to let us know that the furniture was here! It is so exciting to start the process of carving out a space for her in our home that is all her own. Up until now it has appeared that Babies R Us had blown up in every room of our home.

I will post some pictures of the move in below. A big thank you goes out to Granny W. who so generously and lovingly purchased Addison's furniture. I can't wait to tell her about the day that Granny helped pick out her crib. I have not decided on whether or not to include the part were Daddy and Granny ganged up on Mommy about which set to buy :) We are truly blessed to have so much love and support.

On to the show......

Ziggy plotting how to take over yet another room in the house.

Marley and Bonnie stepped right up when we needed to fill the Quality Control positions.

Mommy pretending that she did more than twist an Allen wrench.

Aunt P saved the day when she volunteered (um..got roped into) moving this 140 lb. dresser up two flights of stairs. Uh yeah...she kicks major butt!!!!

Daddy performing one of many shake tests.

More pictures to come once we start decorating!

What's in a name?

This sweet baby girl has affectionately been called by many names. Peanut and sea monkey seemed appropriate when looking at early sonograms but we have decided that it is time to give our little girl her official name.

Addison Nicole Gillot

Addison is a very special name and has been at the top of our favorite girl names for some time. Nicole is my middle name and we decided early on that we wanted to pass along a family name. Addy will make her grand arrival in 17 weeks. Can you believe it? She will be here before we know it.

Here are some pics of Addison's parents at 21 weeks.

Eddie is taking the sympathy pains a bit too seriously.

Active Baby

Ever since Brandy felt little Baby G moving around for the first time a week ago I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I would feel her. The sonogram tech at the doctors office quelled my fears that I might hurt the baby and told me to press firmly. So, every time Baby G goes on a moving fit I rush over to Brandy to try my luck. She places my hand and I wait...and wait...feeling a bit ridiculous because it has to be too early.

But last night, August 23rd at 11pm, I did feel our little girl. She gave a few hard kicks to the palm of my hand. Brandy said that it was the biggest movement she has felt. I think she was just pumping my ego. :) Nevertheless, I felt my child for the first time!! Today feels like a beautiful day! I can't wait to meet you, Baby G.

Spoiler Alert

I have had a Stevie Wonder song running through my head all day! Check out the lyrics below.

Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she But isn't she lovely made from love

That's right...SHE!!!! Baby G is a girl and she is truly lovely. She has a strong heartbeat and is measuring right on schedule. Our due date remains January 3, 2010. Eddie is ecstatic and already talking about all the moments that he is going to share with his daughter. I am so very blessed to have married such a wonderful man! He is going to be a wonderful dad.

The title of this blog is Spoiler Alert but perhaps it should be Spoil Her Alert. This little girl is already so very loved! . . . I can't stop crying while I write this . . . so on to the pictures!

She Has Her Mom's Nose ;)

The Sonogram Tech Was Looking For A Hamburger. Do you See it?
Evidently If It Were A Boy We Would Have Seen A Turtle Head.

Small Wonders!

Last night was a long one. I found myself in a lot of pain. There have been good days and bad days while dealing with this kidney stone and last night can definitely be filed in the bad pain folder! My spirits were down and overall I just felt exhausted. I was sitting on the couch trying my best to breathe through the pain.

And then the most wonderful thing happened!

On Monday, August 17, 2009 I felt my baby whirl and twirl inside of me. As I type this I am tearing up. It was truly the most magical experience of my life. I have read numerous books and listened attentively as many extraordinary women described this experience. It was unlike anything I expected. It was pure bliss. For a moment I felt connected to all life.

I instinctively wanted to share this experience with Eddie as I do with most things in my life. I began to describe what I was feeling and then I realized that I couldn't. Not because I didn't have the words but because this was between me and our child. This moment in time belonged to us. A feeling that I know he will one day experience himself. This is the beginning of a million moments and memories. How beautifully simple and yet so complex.

I will be thrilled to hold this beautiful baby in my arms but I am truly honored to carry this child in my womb for now and my soul always!

Who names this stuff?

Are baby companies intentionally mocking me? As I make progress with the registry I find it difficult to say the names of some of the items more than once. Are they preparing me for words like wee wee and poop?-not to mention all of the names that parents assign "private parts".

I challenge each of you to say boppy or bumbo 10 times without rolling your eyes or laughing. These are not made up words. Feel free to Google if you don't believe me.

By the way I am positive that Baby G will not develop into a healthy adult without owning both a boppy and a bumbo so we will be registering for both. However, I will refer to them as a pillow and plastic throne!

As evident from the rant it is apparent the my hormone levels are healthy and/or I need a nap!

Update...

I know it's been too long since we last posted, but there's not much to report at this point. Brandy STILL has the kidney stone and she's been in a good bit of pain because of it. Other than that, we've been nesting like crazy. Every weekend brings another closet that needs to be cleaned out or furniture that needs to be moved. The office is 95% moved so we've almost got an empty room for the nursery. I think we have the furniture picked out (now we're just waiting for it to go on sale). We're talking about paint colors and sifting through the hundreds of choices. We're thinking either a shade of yellow or green, but we'll see.

We met the last doctor in the practice on Friday. We weren't as impressed with him as the other two. He seemed really nice, but he didn't score really high on personality. Maybe I'm just a little sore that he wouldn't tell us the sex of the baby right then. I tried. :) We're headed back in a few weeks for the next ultrasound. Maybe we'll find out then. For now, here's a picture of the lovely Brandy at 18 weeks.

The Incontinent Santa

A Few of my favorite household quotes....

Scene: Eddie standing behind me with his hands on my belly.

Eddie: "Baby! Keep laughing. The whole thing shakes just like Santa's"

Brandy: "Stop making me laugh! I am going to pee in the only dress that fits me!"

Baby G and The Sorcerers Stone

Yesterday we had our 14 week appointment. This time it was with one of the doctors we had yet to meet during this pregnancy. We've met him once last year and he was very sincere and informative. He walked in looking awfully tired, but still very cheery. I guess that's what happens when you deliver 5 babies overnight, sleep for a few hours, and go back into work to see your other patients. Come to find out, he induced 4 and scheduled a c-section so that he could deliver these babies before he went on vacation. This was on the request of the mothers. That shows you how much this guy is loved. It seems everywhere we go, everyone wants to tell us how great he is.

As great as he is, he didn't sugar coat ANYTHING. He looked at Brandy and said, "Oh, you're going to have a miserable pregnancy!" Thanks buddy. This was in reference to the kidney stone that has yet to pass. He said that it was coincidence that Brandy got the stone this early, that pregnancy induced stones don't form until later in the third trimester. And that this was the beginning of a beautiful kidney stone filled life. Yippee! Brandy wants to name the stone. We're taking suggestions. My vote is for Damian.

Basically, this was just a quick in and out information session. He answered a bunch of questions and then let us listen to the heart beat. It never gets old hearing it. And this time he found it within seconds. The baby seems to be healthy. Brandy, on the other hand, could use a few prayers that she passes this thing soon. Until then, Damian continues to be a pain.

Urine Horoscope

About a month ago my mom told me about a home test that predicts the gender of your unborn baby. She saw a segment of CNN about a product called IntelliGender. For those of you who know me well you can imagine the eye rolls and skepticism that followed. After much laughter and a little online research we decided to visit the local drugstore. The box states that this product is 90% accurate in laboratory tests. The real world results are 82% accurate. Clearly women at home have a much more difficult time peeing in a cup and swirling for 10 seconds than a trained professional. However, for $40 they suggest that you do try this at home. After all of the excitement and skepticism I returned home only to find out that I could not take the test because I was on progesterone. *Sigh* So I tossed it in the closet and moved on to my continued dreaming of my little boy or girl.

About a week ago I remembered the test. Eddie and I decided that we would take the test on Wednesday because we have a similar morning work schedule and everyone knows how fond the industry is of a pregnant woman's first morning pee. Like clockwork I was ready to tinkle at 5:00 am. I swear on average I have lost about an hours worth of sleep because of my new found love of the bathroom. I guess this is my bodies way of preparing me for sleep deprivation. I made use of the little cup while Eddie prepared the syringe and peeled back the sticker. Then he swirled like a lab professional. You should have seen his precision. Eddie jumped in the shower and I patiently waited for 10 minutes. By patiently waiting I mean standing inches away from the cup with a timer in my hand. I didn't want to miss any magic! The urine changes color to match either a lovely shade of baby puke green or a warm autumn orange. Green for a boy and orange for a girl.

After 10 minutes passed it appeared that when I was standing I was having a girl and when squatting I was having a boy. It was all about the angle. Eddie announced that it was much like a horoscope. It really means whatever you wanted it to. The insight gained is most often the insight that you were already in search of. My husband the Buddha! Nothing like a lesson in life at 5:30 am in a bathroom. Hey I guess you welcome wisdom whenever and however it comes. After a little urine and a little laughter we determined that baby puke green won by a landslide. That means that an early sonogram says a girl and an at home gender test says a boy. We will have to wait for a few more weeks for the tiebreaker.

Note to baby: You are exactly what you are meant to be. Guessing is fun but please know that I loved you just the way you were before I ever knew.

Birthing Balls, Tubs, and Stirrups oh my!

Eddie and I attended a tour of the labor and delivery wing of the hospital. If you are in need of a reality check all you have to do is watch a labor and delivery nurse drop down the bottom part of the bed and proceed to curve her spin while rocking back and forth! She definitely got my attention after I convinced myself that it was not appropriate to break out into spontaneous laughter. Don't get me wrong the information was useful but the visual was above and beyond the call of duty.

We ended our tour staring at the newborns in the nursery. I will never forget that moment as long as I live. Looking at those beautiful babies and realizing that in a few short months our little baby G will be in one of those tiny beds receiving the first bath.

Walking down the hall of the hospital with Eddie's hand at the small of my back I know that I am exactly where I want to be.

Sonograms

Week 6

Our little baby blob

Week 12

We actually saw the face and a hand on this day

(although you can only see the face in this photo)

13 Weeks

Today we made a formal announcement to our church family. This day was filled with smiles, hugs, and congratulations. Eddie and I have always felt blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends. Today I realized how lucky all three of us are!

Pregnant Mama

7 Weeks

13 Weeks

Speed Bumps and Milestones

On Sunday June 21st we celebrated the end of the first trimester and the so-called "easy and fun" part of the pregnancy. Just two days earlier, Brandy and I rushed to the ER to find out that she has a kidney stone. If you are interested in being overly concerned, Google it. We're told that it's fairly common and the only thing to do is wait for it to pass. So, over 120 ounces of water a day and here we are...still waiting.

On the positive side to the ER, we got an early sonogram in which the baby seems to be moving around a lot! It was the first time we saw arms and legs. The baby was putting on a show. The tech told us that, although it's too early to tell, she saw the tell tale signs of the baby being a girl! Of course she told us not to make any decisions yet.

On Wednesday we had a follow up with the OBGYN where we had another sonogram. Here we actually saw fingers and facial features! In some ways this whole episode has been a blessing. We get to see the baby more frequently.

I will post the pictures next week when I can get them scanned in. We're more excited every day!

We're Pregnant!

We're thrilled to announce that in early January 2010 we will welcome the newest addition to the Gillot family! The due date is 1/3 and we can't wait to introduce our baby to all of our wonderful friends and family.