An Expectation. A Blessing

Lord willing, our family will be blessed with a new baby by the end of the year. Our little one's due date is December 20, 2011. Your prayers are coveted for a healthy, safe arrival of this blessing.

Catherine Lucille Davis

Baby Lucy has arrived!

She was born February 22, 2009 at 8:21 pm.

She weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces, & was 20 inches long.

Getting ready to leave the hospital.

Our new family photo!

Preparing For Baby

As we are counting down the days until we bring a newborn into our home for the third time, I have been re-reading some of my trusted baby books.

For pregnancy and delivery I have two favorite books. The first is What to Expect When You’re Expecting, it has been called a must-have book for parents to be, and I have found it very helpful through all of my pregnancies. The second book is The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, which is a guide that combines both conventional and alternative medicine. I just found this book during this pregnancy, and I have been very thankful for the advice on how to have a healthy pregnancy and delivery. The only thing that I don't like is that the spiritual or mind/body advice & testimonials in the the book are in no way Christian, but overall I recommend the book.

I have also re-read On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo, & Robert Bucknam. When Joshua was about 8 months old & still not sleeping through the night, a friend recommended Baby Wise to us. I read the book and immediately started using the techiniques in the book. That night Joshua slept through the night, it was hard at first, but it worked. With Mercy we started scheduling her from the beginning and she was sleeping for 7-8 hrs. through the night at about 8 weeks. Again, I don't agree with everything in the book, but it has worked for us. Also note that Gary Ezzo has some controversial teachings (parent-directed feeding) and many people disagree with his work and organization (Growing Kid's International).

I also have taken out my dog-eared and falling apart copy of The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two by William & Martha Sears. I have used this book with both Joshua & Mercy. Again, Dr. Sears is a follower of attachment parenting (which can be considered the opposite of Gary Ezzo's methods) and I am not an adherent to that style of child rearing. I like to think that by using both Baby Wise and the Baby Book I get a good mix, and it has really worked for our family.

Ultrasound Pictures of Baby Lucy!

It's Going To Be A Girl!

We had an ultrasound today! The ultrasound technician was pretty positive that we will be having a girl. So Lord willing, sometime around February 26, 2009 we will be welcoming little Catherine Lucille into our family. We are preparing to be inundated with pink yet again! As I was laying there having the ultrasound I was so thankful to God that He has blessed us with this little one, and brought us this far. He is such a merciful and caring Father!

Boy or Girl?

We will have to wait two more weeks to find out whether we will have a little Lupe or Lupita (no, those aren't the names we have chosen). I went in for my OB appointment this morning and Dr. Lopez said we need to wait until the baby is a little bigger. I was disappointed about that, but I was happy to hear a strong heartbeat and receive clear AFP test results! What a blessing!

So check back in a couple more weeks!

We Are Expecting!

Our family is looking forward to a new addition sometime in late February or early March of next year. My doctor will give me a more precise due date at my next appointment (next month).

We are thankful to God for giving this blessing to us and we pray that we will have a healthy and uneventful pregnancy and delivery. Whatever the next 7 to 8 months brings us, we are trusting in our Lord and take comfort in His words to us:

"Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." -Joshua 1:9