To my sweet Nash Baylor Poe…

Here it is…Nash’s first letter! :) (I wrote a letter to Quinn the week that he was born and love that it portrays my feelings before I knew him!) It was fun to write but did make me quite emotional! …especially when I was telling him about his amazing big brother! … But, it has been such a fun journey carrying him in my tummy. Looking back, I’m shocked at how LONG I’ve been pregnant and how TINY Quinn was when we found out! If you have nothing better to do, and want to reminisce with me, click here to see all of the posts about sweet Nash…here to see all of the posts about the Big Bro-to-be…and here to see all of my “Dear Pregnancy” letters! I’m anxious to meet our littlest love so very soon!!!!…To my sweet Nash Baylor Poe,

I truly can’t believe that in less than a week, I will be holding you in my arms! Part of me feels that it is even more surreal than when your big brother was almost here. And, I think that’s because I know what is to come. I know how much I am about to love you…and how, in only holding you for seconds, the thought of you not being a part of our family will feel like the distant past.Even though you have given me some fits during this 9 month journey, there are things that I’ll miss about carrying you in my tummy. From the moment we found out that you were on the way, we were ALL three so very excited. We couldn’t wait for Quinn to understand that he was going to be a BIG BROTHER! And, it didn’t take him long! He would talk about you and to you all of the time and, even though there was no visible bump, seemed to know that you were resting and growing perfectly in my tummy! He’d always get really close and tell you that he loved you! I know you’d hear him!!! … But, I’ll miss feeling you move and talking you through your violent hiccups. I’ll miss dreaming about what it will be like to know you and planning all of the silly details for your arrival. I’ll miss the hundreds of questions and comments I get about who you are and when you’re coming. And, I’ll miss preparing your Big Brother for what is coming his way. But, obviously, even though I love being pregnant, having you here will greatly outshine ALL of those things!
    
And, I must admit that I’m ready. I do feel like I’ve been pregnant for a LONG time…and it felt like FOREVER before we found out that we were going to get to re-use all of Quinn’s cool clothes and shoes! My mommy intuition was wrong…because I was pretty sure that you were going to be a girl. But, the sonogram quickly showed us differently! And, my excitement for Quinn to have a brother was through the roof. Within a few days, we were telling people that your name was going to be Nash! And, a few months later, we completely settled on Nash Baylor Poe. We love it and think it’s such a beautiful (and super cool) name! People seem to really like it when we tell them…and, we think it sounds great with your brother’s name! We hope you always love it as much as we do! …It just seems to “fit” you already!

  I’m super anxious to see your face and kiss the little toes that have kicked me more times than I’d ever be able to count. I’m dying to know if you’ll have your Daddy’s tan skin or your Mommy’s hazel eyes. (since Quinn didn’t get either one!) I want to see if you look just like your big brother or if people will always wonder how the two of you could be related! Regardless, I’m sure you’ll be beautiful in every way.
Even more than your appearance, I can’t wait to see your personality! People always talk about how different siblings always are…and it’s something I can’t wait to find out! It’s true that you have been very different from Quinn in my tummy, but I wonder if that will translate when you’re in our arms. My prayer is that you’re healthy (of course), happy and at least share your brother’s tender heart. Other than that, I’m curious to see how alike/different the two of you really are! He was quite the Momma’s boy from the start! Will you be? He never took to a lovey. Will you have a favorite? He loved veggies at first and will hardly touch them now. Will you eat everything in sight? He cuddled so tightly. We hope you do too!…It’s all going to be so fun to see!

Even though I can’t wait to meet you, I’m even more excited for you to get to know your Daddy. He’s excited to get a taste of the personality I feel that I’m already quite aware of me. Trust me what I say that you are going to love him deeply. He is the most fun Daddy around and will make you laugh so easily. In watching him, you will be watching such an amazing man of God…and my prayer is that you follow in his footsteps. I can’t wait to watch him bond with you in the same way that he has with Quinn…and I know he’s excited to do so many cool “boy things” with both of you! I guess it just means more “Mommy time” for me! But, more than anything, I can’t wait for you to meet you precious big brother! I find it hard to put words to how lucky you are going to be to have him in your life from the very beginning. He is so precious to us and is going to teach you so many things. I hope and pray that you listen to him as he shows you everything he’s learned in his 3 years and 3 months of life. Even though I know it won’t always be easy and perfect, I can’t wait to watch your friendship form. I’m so excited to be proud of the relationship that the two of you will share and look forward to living through you both as you experience the sibling relationship that I never had. It’s going to be so very sweet to me!
My baby love…here is our prayer from Ephesians 3:16-19 for you & your brother…
{We} pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your heart as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. We can’t wait to know you…we can’t wait to love you in a way that we don’t quite yet understand…we can’t wait to look in your eyes and have you in our arms! And, we hope and pray that you never doubt just how much we have loved and cherished you from the moment we found out you were going to be a part of our precious family! Thank you for letting me experience the miracle of carrying you in my tummy…and know that you have a bunch of anxious people waiting to sing “Happy Birthday” to you for the very first time!
I LOVE YOU,
Your “Boy Crazy” Mommy

one week from today...

So, if all goes as planned, and Nash doesn’t decide to make his appearance early, we’ll be singing “Happy Birthday” ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!…on July 6th, 2010! … Sounds like a good  birthday to me! … But, at my last doctor’s appointment yesterday, I was already dilated to a THREE!!! So, we’ll see!?!?!?! I’m praying that he waits…but, that’s just the planner in me! I’m trusting that God knows the perfect birthday for our baby love…so, STAY TUNED!

Pre-Nash Blog-a-thon!!!

Hey all…As part of my nesting, I’m wanting to get ALL caught up on blogging before our littlest man gets here! … So, be sure to check out all of these fun new posts…and get ready for lots more coming your way!…

Here are the finished ones…
Pickles & Ice Cream…and Strawberry Soda, too!: Nash’s Shower
Matt’s 33rd Birthday
Our Roommate
Nash’s Nursery
Toy Story MANIA!
Father’s Day 2010
”Precious Cargo” Carrier 

And, be on the lookout for…
Swim Lessons
Nash’s Letter from Mommy
and more!

Pickles & Ice Cream…and Strawberry Soda, too!

On June 13th, I was blessed beyond measure by some of my favorite people in the whole world. Six of my very best friends took time out of their busy lives to throw the most precious shower for Nash and me! I get so emotional when I think about the effort that these sweet girls went to…and the fact that I got to spend the afternoon with all of them in ONE place! I just don’t know how many times in my life that will happen! It was priceless and perfect…and a sweet memory that I will never forget!

It started weeks ago with the darling invite that Alli and her hubby created. It read…
i scream, you scream
Brittney is craving
pickles & ice cream.

Even though no details were divulged, I had a good idea that it was going to be based around my crazy pregnancy cravings! And, I obviously knew that it was going to take place at Molly’s precious house!…I had no doubt that it would be precious…but, when I walked in the door, I was completely BLOWN away! The decor was SO cute! They used Nash’s colors…and had the cutest snack foods displayed perfectly. Just take a look… There were pickles…ice cream with all of the toppings…fun candy…fun sodas, including Strawberry Soda, of course…and more! It was DARLING! In Molly’s living area, Sharee had made the most precious ‘spots’ that had all of my cravings written on them! So fun, so personal and so thoughtful…Before the guests arrived, we took some pictures of me and these precious girls…just look at how blessed I am…There’s Jessica: She’s my newest friend of the bunch that I met when Matt was new on staff at the church,“personal photographer”, and funniest friend! We clicked so quickly and she soon became a “forever friend!” (which, when you have friends like I do, it seems rare to be able to add another as dear and precious as she is!) We can truly talk for hours and I’m so blessed that she’s in my life…and, she took most of these amazing pictures, too! :)

Next to her is Molly, a.k.a. Mock-a-Moly: She’s been a best friend since middle school and forever will be. There is no one that could make me feel more comfortable or “at home.” She’s hilarious in her own Molly way and has the best style of us all! She’s real, she’s fun…and, now, I love sharing mommyhood with her!

To my right is Sarah: She’s my longest and dearest best friend. We were in the nursery together at church and grew up together. She was the Matron of Honor in my wedding and I was the Maid of Honor in hers. I’m sure that life would have felt incomplete without her in it. I’m thankful that she knows me…inside and out! And, always will!

To my left is my Shareena: She was a best friend in middle school and had to move away before high school began. We kept in touch but completely reconnected when we decided to be roommates at Baylor. We lived together ALL 4 years of college and she became more than a friend…she was my family! Although we have never lost touch, being mommies has reconnected us all over again. I am so thankful for her and the memories we share!

Then, there’s Thompson: Her real name is Alison, but not to me! :) We became super duper close in high school and continued to build our precious friendship as college came and went. It’s NEVER hard to pick up right where I left off with her…like no time has passed at all! And, that’s rare! She’s a friend that I truly respect for so many reasons…especially her career…since she just became an assistant principal! I love her so!

And, last but not least is Alli: We met at Baylor…as Chi O’s and I loved her immediately. She’s one of those people that’s just too sweet for words…and is TOO funny, too! Then, after college, we got to live together for a year before I got married. And, as life would have it…we both married youth pastors and had our first boys within 5 months of one another. I’ve had more fun “living life” with her through our boy’s playgroup! I’m thankful that our lives have been able to continue to be intertwined.

Told you I was blessed!!! See why I get emotional!!?!? The actual shower was PERFECT! The guest list was small enough that I felt that I got to chat with everyone…and I loved that! Of course, I was a sweaty mess…but Molly had a big box fan for me…just like at my last shower! Once I cooled off, I loved mixing and mingling…and opening the most darling gifts!
   Our traditional picture..I’m the first to take it twice!…      
I was so thankful for the other girls that took the time to come, too. Having them there to meet the hostesses meant a lot to me! …
Titus, Molly’s precious little man, was darling at the shower…I loved that he got to participate after his nap! And, he loved Nash’s skateboard! :)
When the guests left, they got to take this amazing favor that Sarah made. It was an ice cream scoop with “pickle” jelly beans inside. And, look at the darling pickles & ice cream tags! Seriously, this shower should be in a magazine!…Look at this loot…so blessed…so fun!…Slickpaw came at the end to pick up Mammer so that they could head back to Abilene. Jessica snapped a few pictures of him…and him telling Nash ‘bye’…It was such a priceless afternoon! 
Thank you, sweet friends, for all that you did to make Nash’s shower perfect in every way! I can’t wait to repay the favor for ALL of you!…And am so thankful that I get to share life with all of you…even when there’s WAY too much time between our visits! I love you all so very much and will forever cherish you!