Mini-visit from the Brewer Girls!

Missy & her sweet girls, Briley & Kayelyn, came for a short visit this week. They brought yummy peaches & pecan treats with them, which we completely devoured during their stay. Missy helped us set up facebook pages so we can join the rest of the world online & hopefully get a ton of publicity in order for our business to grow, as it has done wonders for her... so she says. My opinion, her work speaks for itself. Just look at the amazing job she did for us, once again!

Thanks so much Missy for a truly amazing job once again. Check out the rest of her great work at http://www.snappedwithlove.com/

Introducing Jeremiah Adam

Here's my very last big belly pic in the hospital the night before Jeremiah was born... 39 weeks & 2 days pregnant! Dr. Irvin & I had several talks during my pregnancy about the weight of this baby & how long into my pregnancy would be wise for me & the baby both to go. Because of how large Tripp was, and being 5 days late, she opted to have me induced a few days early.

and thankfully she did... he was almost 8 pounds at 4 days early!

Welcome to the world, Jeremiah Adam

7 pounds, 14 ounces

20 inches

3:52 pm

Monday, June 20, 2011

Bella & Kenzie coming in the room to meet their baby brother

& Tripp too... they were just a bit excited! ;)

Kenzie holding Jeremiah

Bella giving Baby J kisses

Tripp is so excited to have a little brother... can you tell!?!

We are so very happy to welcome our sweet baby boy home. Our little (okay not quite so little anymore) family couldn't be happier. The boys have finally evened things up around here. We are truly enjoying every bit of joy, love & happiness our sweet baby boy is bringing to our family. We can't wait for all of you to meet him!

Love & hugs to all,

the Sensational Six! :)

never doubt the power of prayer!

So, we had my appointment on Tuesday for my glucose test & yet another, ultrasound. I had already come prepared with a list of questions for my ob about our next steps in actually setting a date for the c-section and various other questions about the actual process. Since I had to be there for an hour anyway before they could draw my blood, they went ahead and did the ultrasound first. The technician was pretty quiet at first and then said, "Well, this is odd. The baby's head is right there & I can't seem to see the placenta!" What!?! We were all shocked & amazed. The placenta had done exactly what it was supposed to do from the beginning, exactly what we weren't expecting at this point in the game. By the time we went back to see my doctor, Anthony & I were just both so giggly and ecstatic. Dr. Irvin came in very cheerful as usual, but we weren't aware that she hadn't seen the pictures yet. All of a sudden she looked at us with surprised eyes and said, "Oh my goodness! Are you serious!? This is amazing news!" She too could not believe that things had changed so drastically from my previous appointment. There are two forms of placenta previa; partial and complete. In most "partial" cases the placenta tends to move where it is supposed to be as the baby and uterus grow and things move around. In "complete previa" there is just so much less of a chance because everything is right on top of the placenta and it isn't able to move back up as easily. My family and so many others have been praying nonstop for both myself & the baby. We were sure things were going to turn out okay for my delivery, but I really hadn't thought there was even the slightest chance of things changing before. I am no longer in need of a c-section or at high risk for this pregnancy. I have never doubted it before, but this just re-strengthens my faith in the power of prayer even more. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have been praying for me. I really didn't know how stressed out I was about the situation until after I found out things were okay. Whew... what a relief! We did find out one very minor something else during the ultrasound. The baby has a nuchal cord, which means the chord is around his/her neck. Although, this is very common (1 in 4 babies) and there is no reason for concern as it usually changes on its own before delivery. Thanks again! We were so excited to get to share this wonderful news! Love & Hugs!

Snapped With Love

Last weekend two of my greatest friends from college came for a little mini-visit. Missy (with her amazing assistant of a husband, Nathan) was shooting a wedding in Marble Falls on Saturday and thought it would be the perfect chance for an opportunity to swing by our place and take a few maternity pictures while she was here. Between both of us having kids & trying to run home businesses we have had little time for visits lately. We realized it had been well over 2 years since we had the chance to see each other. Missy hadn't yet met Tripp & Nathan hadn't had the chance to meet either him or Mackenzie. You never would have known that however, once they got here. All 3 kids were waiting at the front window of the house for about 30 minutes before they got here anticipating their arrival. As soon as they pulled up, they were greeted with hugs and smiles. Tripp was instantly attached to Missy as though they had been best friends since he was born. It was too sweet! All 3 kids were hanging on both Missy and Nathan, like the little monkeys they are, the entire time.

(see what I mean!)

After a little catching up, and finishing getting ready at the house, we headed to our school to do our little photo shoot. I am extremely blown away at what an amazing job Missy does with her photography. She is a true natural! I am so lucky to have a friend with such a special talent ask to take our pictures, because the kids are just so comfortable with her. So, enough of my rambling... here is a little sneak peak of some of the pics Missy sent me to hold me over until we get our CD, courtesy of Snapped With Love Photography, by Mellisa!

....and they were done!

Thank you Missy, so much!!! We had such a great time hanging out with the two of you and are so thankful for the lasting memories you have given us. Can't wait to see the rest! :)

a little pregnancy update

Things are moving along quite nicely with our little one. I hit my 29 week mark yesterday. Baby & mommy have both been doing wonderfully. There are a lot of changes going on at home right now. We are in the process of moving (more on that topic later), so as you can imagine things are a bit chaotic at the moment, causing more exhaustion than I am use to at this point of the game. Anthony & I found out at my 20 week appointment that I have a condition called placenta previa. As far as the effect it has on myself & the baby during pregnancy, it is really minimal. I just have to be sure to take it extra easy and not overexert myself for any reason and hopefully that will help me avoid any bed rest as the due date gets closer. The real factor comes in for delivery. If the placenta doesn't move before my 36 week appointment I will be scheduled for a c-section at 37 weeks. One exciting part is that we get to see the baby at every appointment (because I am required to have an ultrasound for monitoring the placenta & the baby.) We just have to be extra careful not to see the sex of the baby any time... no, we still aren't finding out for this one. My next appointment is this coming Tuesday. We will continue to keep everyone posted as things draw closer to our due date and we find out more information. Thank you so much for all your prayers. We are putting everything in God's hands & have faith that both the baby & myself will be happy & healthy after delivery! :)

the Kemper blog

Todd & Pene have created a blog (YAY!!!!!) so we can follow along life with their little princesses, Zoe, and my two newest nieces, Abigail & Sophia.
Go for a visit when you have time & are willing to shed a few (happy) tears ;)
http://toddkemperfamily.blogspot.com/

The TWINS are here!!!!!

aren't they precious!?!!!!!

Well, they just couldn't wait! Arriving 6 weeks early... Please join us in welcoming Abigail Reese and Sophia Leigh Kemper! Abigail was born at 9:31 am on Sunday January 16, 2011 weighing in at 4 lbs 9 oz and measuring 17 ¼”. Little sister Sophia arrived two minutes later at 9:33 with a birth weight of 4 lbs 7 oz and a length of 17” even.
The best news of all... Mom and babies are resting and recovering at the hospital and everyone is healthy. We are so blessed by this wonderful event and could not be happier!
Congratulations Todd, Pene & BIG SISTER, Zoe. We are so extremely happy for your sweet family! Love & Hugs!

Good News on the results & more...

Thank you everyone for all your prayers. Good news: everything with my biopsy came back normal. It looks like my enlarged thyroid just came about with this pregnancy and is nothing of big concern. This is what we were hoping for and honestly really thinking was the case, but the thought of all the possibilities of what could be was definitely enough to get the mind wandering. It was so nice having such a wonderful support system praying for me. I think it was the anticipation in waiting that was the scariest part of the whole thing, even though I had such a strong feeling that everything would be fine. Thanks again! I love you all & am so grateful for all your thoughts and prayers.

my 17 week baby bump

In other news, all the kiddos just got over having a really yucky stomach bug. We are so grateful for that to be over! Anthony got to play in a high school alumni football game this past Sunday. It was a lot of fun getting to see so many of the guys we graduated with. Sort of a mini-reunion, which was nice since we missed out on ours last June because we were in the hospital having our sweet baby boy! Unlucky for him, he ended up dislocating and breaking his right ring finger at the knuckle. He had the paramedics buddy-tape it to another finger so he could finish the game. (Typical Anthony!) This was at the end of the first half. He went on to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter (yes... with his broken finger) and get the medal for defensive MVP. I guess the adrenalin kept him from feeling the pain during the game, but it sure did hit him afterwards. So, a 4 hour trip to the e.r. later wound him up in a cast all the way up to his elbow because he apparently pulled the major tendon that runs from your finger to your arm off the bone. Ouch!

Daddy's biggest fans ready for the game:)

Monday and Tuesday were extremely challenging for him staying home with all 3 kiddos being sick and having to give left handed baths, thanks to all the mess that goes along with a stomach bug! I think I better give him a medal for making it through the most difficult daddy day yet.;)

Our last little bit of news for this post... we should have 2 new nieces next week!!! My sister-in-law, Pene, is in the hospital now resting and scheduled for a c-section on Tuesday. (A "mini-vacation" according to Todd:) ) It's a little earlier than expected but due to a few different circumstances will be best for both Pene and the girls. So exciting! The first set of twins in the Kemper family ever! Prayers for a healthy delivery would be great.

Pene, Mom, Todd, me & Lyndsey

@ Pene's shower - December 4th