9 Months!

9 Months ago today, June 30th 2007, I walked down the aisle and became Brian's wife! God is so great!

Amazingly, only 1 year prior to that, in June 2006, I was in a completely different place. I had just buried my husband and I felt as though I could not love or be loved again. I was so broken. To think about the path my life has taken over the past 21 months is truly amazing and all the glory can only be given to my Father in Heaven. I am a testimony to His amazing Grace and Love.

Some people have made comments about how "funny" it is that Brian and I will be parents before we even celebrate our first wedding anniversary; and again, all the Glory goes to God. Brian and I knew that anything was possible when we placed our faith in God, especially when it came to childbearing; however, we didn't know that God would act so quickly. I am not sure how common it is for husbands and wives to conceive on their honeymoon, especially since we know many people who struggle to get pregnant; for us though, we could not be more thankful for our honeymoon miracle baby! :) We know it is a true blessing from God!

The past 9 months (even though Brian and I have never lived together without me being pregnant - unless you count the first 2 weeks of our marriage) have been the most wonderful 9 months of my entire life. I could not be happier! My husband is an amazing man and soon we will welcome our precious blessing into this world and I am sure we will only continue to be amazed at God's faithfulness. I pray for 9,000 more months of being Brian's wife, there is nothing else that would make me happier.

New Miller Blog

In case those of you that read this blog aren't sick of reading about the lives of the Miller's....My husband, Brian has created a blog now too. :)

So, if you want to keep up with Brian's side of the story :)
i.e. "Life as an amazing husband, a new Daddy (soon-to-be), and a Sheriff's Deputy"
Add his blog to your Google Reader or your Blog Reel or just to your favorites, whatever you prefer. :)

Click here to check it out - Brian Miller's Blog

Funnies...

Something to make you all laugh, especially since these Braxton-Hicks contractions and all this cramping isn't super funny. :)

Five things your husband should never say at this point in pregnancy:

• "Mooooo!"
• "Ouch —a paper cut. I wonder if this is what labor feels like."
• "Is that a watermelon under your shirt or are you just glad to see me?"
• "My father called again to ask about your cervix."
• "Is that your underwear or did a parachute land on your butt?"

(This was in my weekly prego email update from babycenter.com - Funny stuff!) :)

Attention Women...

Attention ALL women who are considering pregnancy (someday) or are already pregnant.

I wanted to share this website with you - The Business of Being Born

This is a documentary that was just released about the "business" of labor and delivery. My husband first watched it on Netflix.com, (yes, I said, "my husband" - He is my biggest natural birth advocate!) and after seeing it, he suggested it to me.

I was then re-introduced to the movie via another women's blog. Her first pregnancy did not go the way she had planned, she was "talked into" taking Pitocin and ended up with an epidural and Nubian (a narcotic pain relieving medication). She is now pregnant with her second baby and praying that this delivery goes differently.

Whether you are an advocate of a medicated or a non-medicated birth, I strongly recommend that all women who are thinking about ever giving birth watch this film. Currently, this movie can only be seen on Netflix.com, but it is set to be released out on DVD soon.

So that I am not misunderstood, I should probably add that I am not judging anyone who disagrees with our beliefs, every pregnancy, labor and delivery are all different; and some simply need medical intervention. However, as you all know, I am a huge supporter of being completely educated! That is what I am suggesting here.

We are still praying for God's wonderful hand in our labor and delivery. We are so thankful for our midwifes, who keep us calm and don't try to worry or scare us with crazy medical jargon; I am thankful for a mother who had 4 natural deliveries and assures me daily that I can do it too; and I am thankful to my sister Katie who gave birth naturally after 27 hours of labor 15 months ago and is a huge cheerleader for us. Mostly, I am thankful for my husband, who is my biggest supporter and coach - he has educated himself immensely throughout these past 9 months and he knows and understands what we believe is best for us and best for our baby.

ENJOY THE FILM!!!
Thanks for your continued prayers. :)

Baby Miller Survey - SO FUN!!!

FYI - I will be keeping this post on top for a few days so it is easily accessible to those that want to participate in the survey. Be sure to scroll down to see our most recent posts. :)

I am really excited about this post....SO, everyone who reads our blog MUST participate. :)


It was recommended to me (thanks Kate!) that I should do a Survey/Contest to poll when people think the little one is going to arrive, how big she will be, how long, etc. Of course I thought this was a great idea as well, so I have created a survey. It is really easy and all you have to do is answer a few questions. This is going to be soooo much fun!!!

Unfortunately, I can't commit to giving a big prize; but after the baby arrives, the winner will be announced on the blog and will then have full rights to bragging! I will determine the winner as the person who got closest to the right answer in the most categories. I hope that makes sense! :)

Just click on the "Take the Survey" link below and have fun!!! :)

Take the Baby Miller Survey NOW

PS - Some rules....You can only take the survey ONCE and it will expire on March 31st, so please log in your answers before then! :) HAVE FUN!!!

38 Week Check-up

Brian and I went in for our 38 week check-up today. Nothing much new to report though.

Here are the stats:

• Fetal Heart Beat = 148 bpm
• No weight change - Still at 10 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight
• Blood pressure = 102/50
• Cervix is closed :(
• Couldn't check effacement because of closed cervix
• Fetal position is good :)
  
• The head is at station -1 (almost fully engaged - more on this below)

In our discussion with our midwife, Nell, she was impressed by the location of the baby's head and said that this could explain my recent sharp pains in the area "down-there". I had to do some research about the stations of the head in the pelvis when I came home, and because I don't have a medical degree, I am going to share with you what I found, instead of trying to explain it...

"When the widest part of the baby's head has settled into the birth canal, it is said to be engaged, or positioned for the second stage of labor. At this point, your contractions may slow to four or five minutes apart and become less intense. Your birth attendant will encourage you to push when each contraction begins and will monitor the baby's “descent” on a regular basis. When the baby's head is even with the lower bones of your pelvis, its position will be recorded as “0” station. As the baby's head continues to move through the birth canal, the stations will be identified as +1, +2, +3, etc., in reference to the baby's progress in centimeters.

The second stage of labor officially begins when the baby's head settles into the upper end of the birth canal, 3 centimeters from the center of the pelvis. When the top of the head reaches the center point, the baby has achieved “0” station. Three centimeters later, the baby has reached the lower end of the birth canal, and delivery is underway. This centimeter-by-centimeter advance can last more than 2 hours—or be over in 15 minutes."
~Information from http://www.healthsquare.com/fgwh/wh1ch26.htm

So, even though my cervix is closed, the head will be fully engaged in the pelvis after one more centimeter (and a few more of those sharp, shooting pains). Of course, none of this means labor is imminent.

Before we left the birthing center, Nell said, make sure you call us when your contractions are 4-5 minutes apart. Our response was, "so even though the cervix is closed, we could still go into labor say, tomorrow?" She said, "Certainly!" So, it could be tomorrow or it could be weeks from now. The good news is, God is in control and Sierra is certainly still enjoying her warm, comfy, watery home. :)

We have our next appointment scheduled for Tuesday, April 1st and I am 99% confident that we will be attending that appointment - Still pregnant! :)

Until then...

Update on Papa

I recently talked to my mother who arrived safely in Rochester, NY earlier this morning. My grandfather successfully came out of surgery this morning. The doctors seem to have found the problem area and taken care of it. Praise God! Thank you for your continued prayers.

What I know...Papa recently had a colonoscopy and 2 polyps removed. It seems as though one of the polyps was located on a major vein and the cauterization procedure was not enough to keep him from bleeding. The doctors were able to patch up that area and finally stop the bleeding. My mother said that he is feeling very good and has been moved to a step down unit (out of the CCU). They will be keeping him in the hospital until he is able to start back on solid foods and shows continued signs of improvement.

Thank you so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray for a full and speedy recovery and a safe trip home for my mother, who will be returning to Richmond on Thursday night.

Need your prayers

If you could take some time today or the next day (or even the next...) to add my family in your prayers, I would surely appreciate it.

My Papa has been in and out of the hospital since Friday night. He seems to be bleeding and the doctors are not sure where it is coming from. Tomorrow (Tuesday) they are going to do some exploratory measures to try and locate the problem. I know he is nervous and could use some prayers to help calm him. He is a very healthy, active 79 year old man and after two ambulance rides over the past 3 days, all this is taking a toll on him. Please also pray for my grandmother. She is an amazing caregiver (she took great care of me and Daniel when Daniel was sick). I know she is tired and concerned as well. Please pray that the doctors will find the problem area and be able to come up with a speedy resolution. Also, please pray for my mother, who will be flying to Rochester NY in the morning to be with her family until Thursday night.

We are so very thankful for all your prayers. We are claiming complete Victory over this and know that God is already healing Papa's body.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,
'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt
in his heart but believes that what he says will happen,
it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever
you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be yours." Mark 11:23-24 (NIV)

Thank you. Lots of love to you all.

Here is a picture of my Nana and Papa from our wedding rehearsal, so you can put a face with a name and with your prayers.

Preview

My wonderful sister-in-law, Christina Gregory, is an amazing photographer. She has a way of capturing moments and detail, just perfectly.

A few weeks ago, she graciously took some time out of her busy schedule and captured some images of Brian, me, and our baby belly. The images are not completely ready yet, but she did send me one to preview. I thought I would share it with all of you.


We can't wait to see the rest of the images and we will be sure to share some of our favorites as soon as we get them.

Thanks Chris! You are a huge blessing to us.

Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER FROM THE MILLER HOME!!!


Praise God! Jesus died for us!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)

38 Weeks!

Praise God! We made it to 38 weeks! Not that I thought we wouldn't, but when you are only 12 weeks pregnant and throwing up at least twice a day and finding all food to be repulsive; it is hard to think that one day you will actually make it to full term!

This pregnancy, although difficult at times, has been a wonderful blessing. I know I am going to be sad when I don't feel her moving around in my belly anymore. She has been SO active the past 4 months, it is a feeling I have grown accustomed to and come to enjoy. I really believe she is going to have her mother's soccer legs, either that or go into kickboxing! :)

Other than feeling overwhelmed emotionally between wanting to meet her, but also not wanting to give her up from my womb; I am feeling WONDERFUL!!! I look as big as a house, with a bowling ball in my abdomen, but I feel great! I am sleeping good and eating good and everything is wonderful!

I must give praise to my husband - he is super duper! In the past 9 months, he has not missed one single doctor appointment or birth-related class, he has taken care of me, put up with my vomiting and food aversions, been my number one cheerleader during the rough days, and I know will be a fantastic coach during labor. This pregnancy has never ever been just about me, the past 9 months have completely been possible because of our love for each other and our ability to work well together as a team. I have only been the vessel for the little one to grow; Brian and I have been ONE throughout this journey and I know when the baby girl arrives, our strong bond will only make the moment that much sweeter. I am so very blessed and I never take him for granted, not even for one second!

We are thankful for your continued prayers! We will keep you updated!!! Can't wait to introduce Sierra to all of you!

Kate & Pierce come to visit!!!

We were super blessed last week to have my sister Katie and nephew Pierce come to visit us. I had originally asked Kate if she wanted to come during my spring break to help set up the nursery, get things washed, etc. But then my parents came down the weekend after the shower (to visit and make a delivery of all the shower gifts we could not fit in our car) and my mother graciously helped me get everything together and ready. However, I still wanted Kate and Pierce to come visit and although spring break week didn't work for them, last week did...so to the beach they traveled!

It was so much fun (and tiring). Having toddlers running around and being 9 months pregnant can really tire you out. I am not sure how my mom did it; with Kate and I being 15 months apart, that means that my mother was as pregnant as I am now, with a little one the same age as Pierce, and a 5 year old! I guess it couldn't have been too bad, because she ended up having another one after that; She did wait 4 years later though! :) Thank goodness they come out as babies and not as toddlers, at least God slowly takes us into those running around stages.

Having Pierce around is so much fun! He is talking non-stop now and so interactive! We loved every minute. It was especially funny to watch him spot one of our cats, yell "Kitty!" and then take off running after it. The cats did not think that was very funny and they spent most of the 3 days hiding under the bed upstairs; not really sure what this little person was all about. Also, every time Pierce would laugh or squeal or cry, they would take off up the stairs. It will be very interesting to see how they do when Sierra arrives, life is about to change very drastically for them. I have a feeling the spare room, under the bed, might become their new favorite place.

It was also great to have my sister around, especially with Brian working night shift. We talked girl talk, she gave breastfeeding and newborn advice, we watched American Idol, ate ice cream, went shopping - it was wonderful!

We took Pierce on his first carousel ride (he wasn't really sure what he thought about it) and we went for some walks, fed the ducks, and played on the playground. It was a wonderful time and we are thankful for their visit. We LOVE when people come visit us (hint, hint)! :)

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

37 Week Check-Up

We just got back home from our 37 week check-up. The little girl is still as perfect as ever in her watery home! Her heart rate was a healthy 140 beats / minute and my blood pressure was excellent.

My weight did drop 2 pounds since last week, but this is probably due to the on and off again swelling and water retention. I did not have an internal exam, but they will be checking me again next week to see how my cervix is doing - dilation, effacement, etc.

Our next appointment is Wednesday, March 26th; until then, thanks for the continued prayers. Oh! I almost forgot...my Group B Strep test came back Negative!!!! Yeah!!!! That means that I won't have to get antibiotics while in labor, I can stay and labor at home for as long as possible (because there is no hurry to get there for the meds), and usually GBS positive babies have to stay in the hospital for at least 48 hours for observation; so our ability to come home 24 hours after birth is greater as well.

Great news all around! :) Thanks for your continued prayers! :)

Who will she look like?

I don't spend too much time thinking about who our baby will look like when she arrives, but lately every one else seems to have ideas and likes to share them with me.

This has got me thinking...Really, what and who will she look like? We are so excited to see her and hold her!


The greatest knowledge is knowing that she is being created in God's own image (Genesis 1:27) and will be perfect in His sight!

But still many are wondering...will she look more like Mommy or Daddy? We will soon see!

36 Week Check-Up

Wow! I can't believe we are already 37 weeks pregnant (today). The baby will be here soon and I am excited and nervous all at the same time!

Our 36 week check up was wonderful and I obviously took their advice about eating more to heart; because I happily gained 7 POUNDS!!! Yep, that is right, I gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks! Some may say it has something to do with the extra fluid I am carrying around in my ankles and toes, but it is 7 pounds none-the-less. So, we are up to 10 pounds total for the past 9 months! Maybe that means that I will be able to fit into those really cute Bermuda shorts I spotted at the store, by the time summer rolls around. :)

The external exam seemed to show the baby girl still very much in the head down position - thankfully - not that she has much room to go into any other position. Her heart rate was a very happy and healthy 148 beats per minute and my blood pressure was 121 / 70. Every thing looks good! I did have my Group B Strep test done and will get those results back next week - please pray with us that this comes back negative; although, there is nothing we do can fix it either way - it either is or isn't. Nevertheless, it can't hurt to be praying that it comes back negative.

Our midwife also did an internal exam - fun stuff! She wanted to determine that it was definitely the head she was feeling down low and indeed it was! She did not check my cervix at all, she said "you are only 36 weeks, no need to reach that far up and make you that uncomfortable." Can't say I disagree with that! :)

We go back on Monday, March 17th for our 37 week check-up...update on that appointment will be soon to follow! Thanks for your continued prayers for us and our baby girl!

Lots of visiting

Last weekend Brian and I spent time in Richmond. We went there to celebrate some friends of ours, Bob & Olivia, who had gotten married out of state a few weeks earlier. My parents hosted a reception for Bob and Olivia at their house on Saturday evening.

We had a wonderful time visiting with people we love whom we don't get to see very often.

On Saturday morning we were able to catch up with our very good friends Brian and Kandi Schlemmer and their two wonderful children Peyton & Olivia. It was a great visit and we miss them. We really wish we lived closer! Here are a few snapshots from lunch....

Late afternoon we enjoyed my mom's delicious lasagna with lots of friends and former co-workers of mine. We are so excited for Bob and Olivia and pray that God will abundantly bless their union. I didn't take many pictures, but I did snap a few of Brian cuddling with Deacon Johnson (Brian has a way of putting babies to sleep, hopefully he will be able to do this with Sierra too) :) Deacon is the 7 week old son of our dear friends Matt & Stephanie Johnson. Many of you know Matt - He was a very close friend of Daniel's. Stephanie and Matt were married in June and welcomed home Deacon in January. We are grateful for their friendship and look forward to watching Deacon grow!

Also on that same night we were blessed to have a wonderful visit from Brian's dad. He currently lives in Florida and we don't get to see him very often at all. In fact, the last time we saw him was at the wedding last June. He happened to be traveling with a friend from NY back to FL and stopped to visit with us on Saturday evening. It worked out really great that we were in Richmond that weekend and it was so wonderful to see him and spend time with him. With him living all the way down in FL, we really miss him, but are so thankful for the time we do get to spend with him.

We love spending time with family and friends and look forward to many more of these times as people will soon be arriving to meet the little miracle hanging out in my belly!

They might be swollen...

...But they are still cute! Thanks to my mom, who gave me a gift card to a nail salon (almost a year ago). My toes are now cute and ready for labor and delivery!

The pedicure I got this morning felt sooo good on my sore, swollen feet and now my toes will be nice and pretty while I am pushing - because of course, that is essential!

Thanks Mom! :)

Spring Break, Fat Feet, & a Hockey Game

I know it has been a few days since I have last posted. Sorry about that! Last week was spring break for me and to be honest, relaxing was just what my body needed. Brian was around most of the week, only having to work Wednesday and Thursday. So, I had him at home with me Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! I LOVE weeks like those!!! We get to eat lunch together, go for walks together, hang out, watch movies, and basically just relax. People keep reminding us how much we should enjoy this time because life is going to change real soon. Thankfully, the love I have for my husband will only increase and spending time with him plus a baby will be just as wonderful, I am sure! I do cherish all the time we get to spend together though! Spring break really did help me overcome that horrible flu bug that attacked my body a week earlier and I am thankful for the break from school work and classes; it was a very nice relaxing week!

Near the end of the week the "fat feet" syndrome (as I like to call it) set in. I know I should be thankful that I didn't get "fat feet" until now, but seriously, it is not comfortable. Besides my stomach getting bigger and bigger, my feet are the only other thing that has started to swell. I am now living in my slippers and mad at myself that the only shoes I own are slip on shoes that now no longer fit and hurt when I try to jam my foot into them. I did read that some swelling in the feet is very normal for pregnant women and it usually occurs about 2 - 3 weeks before delivery; just another way that the body is preparing itself for labor. For now though, I am keeping my feet up whenever I can, limiting my sock wearing, and continuing to drink lots of water (and make many trips to the potty). :)

Also last week, on Friday night, Brian and I got to go on a little date! Brian's "public service" job provides him with many opportunities to get free passes to local events and last week he was selected to receive 2 tickets to the Norfolk Admirals Hockey game. We had planned to go to Richmond for the weekend, leaving Friday morning; however, after he got the free tickets, we decided to go to the game and then head to Richmond afterwards. The hockey game was my first ever hockey game in an arena (besides watching my cousin Rachel play ice hockey). It was so much fun and it was wonderful to be able to go out and spend time with my husband. We do understand that things like this will be harder to do with a little one, so we were glad we had this opportunity. It was a great time, I love doing fun things with my husband, and the Admirals won - beating Philadelphia - 4 to 2!

All in all, spring break was wonderful and we are feeling great (finally)!!!

Shower of Blessings

Words can not even begin to describe how wonderful our baby shower was last weekend. It is a well known fact that the Stank girls know how to plan and host an event but this time they really out did themselves!

The shower was a true blessing to us and to the little miracle growing inside my belly. Brian and I could not be more thankful for all the work that went into it, all those who attended, and all the love that was clearly visible for us and for our little angel.

Of those in attendance, we are grateful for the many people that traveled from distant places to celebrate with us. Especially those that came in from Rochester, NY! Brian's mother, sister-in-law, and Aunt drove down through the yucky weather on Friday and my grandmother, 3 aunts, 1 uncle, and 3 cousins drove down on Thursday. It was a wonderful weekend, not only celebrating Sierra's upcoming delivery but also blessed to be with family. Again, Brian and I are so very very thankful!

Being the "camera happy" girl that I am, I actually didn't have my camera most of the weekend. My brother's fiance, Blakely, and my cousin Rachel had the camera most of the weekend and did a great job getting lots of pictures. There were almost 200 pictures taken of the shower festivities; however, I have picked a selected few and created a slide show for you all to enjoy!

Thank you again to everyone who had a hand in this celebration. Now, we just sit back and wait for God's perfect timing...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com