A VERY busy week 3

This week has been filled with firsts! It's amazing how fast it seems that he's changing. I see new things about him everyday & I spend the most time with him.

Channing's First Halloween:

Channing and I do tummy time every single day. He's great at it. He's been lifting his head up since we were in the hospital. He's a very strong little boy. Tummy time usually looks like this.

But this week, Channing decided he wanted it to look like this & I just happened to have the camera! It was so quick I could hardly believe my eyes!

Channing's First Bath

Up until this week, we have been giving Channing baths with disposable washcloths. I am a big fan of them, but it was time for a real bath. He wasn't fond of being out of his comfy pajama's, but once we got the warm water on him he was content to a certain degree I guess. I'm sure it will grow on him.

Bath time was followed by a massage with bedtime lotion and reading a good book.

Loving his massage.

Daddy doing diaper duty & making him happy with warm pajamas.

He loves to listen to me read books. He'll grab at the book and try to hold the side!

2 Weeks

Today Channing is 2 weeks old. It's so hard to believe that 2 weeks has already gone by. We've learned so much together in the last two weeks.

Today at the 2 week doctor appointment Channing weighed 7lbs. 10oz. The doctor said he looked wonderful and he even showed the student doctor, Claire, his peeing skills. I tried to warn her, but she felt sure the diaper would be fine loosely waiting for the doctor to see little Chan Man's booty, but before she knew it there was pee everywhere. I just laughed cause I could so see it coming. What can I say.....my son has peeing skills. Better than his daddy who at a few weeks old pooed on the doctor!

This week Channing got to take part in his very first Trunk or Treat outreach event at church! He was an adorable pumpkin and very contently hung out in the baby bjorn while mom helped dad for a while. It was strange not having such an active part in the event after 7 years of being right there for everything in the ministries that God has placed John in. It was hard for me to leave early, but God reminded me that I am helping with a new ministry...our family & I love it!

We had a little photo shoot for his first Halloween. I didn't go crazy buying some expensive costume that he would wear maybe for an hour...my how God has changed my heart about things like that! So grateful for being molded and changed! Our little outfit cost $2 at a consignment sale & I must say he is the cutest lil' pumpkin I've ever seen.

a bite of preciousness...

1 week old....

It's hard to believe that it's already been one week. It has absolutely flown by and we've enjoyed every moment of it. Little John Channing is such a precious gift and we have waiting so long on the Lord for this blessing that it makes it a bit easier I think to embrace all the changes that are taking place in the Berry Household. John & I talk about how we've longed for these long nights, dirty diapers and sweet & precious times of just gazing at him. It was so worth the wait.

The story of his birth....

On October 14 we woke up and discussed our day. John felt like we should put all of our bags in the car for our afternoon doctor's appointment. I was fine with that but hadn't planned to put in my bathroom stuff but he was persistent. I guess I just didn't want to get my hopes up that they might say it was time. I was so ready to meet the little guy! I went & taught preschool that morning and John worked in the office. After preschool we headed to lunch at On the Border. We love their lunch specials & we had been encouraged to try spicy food to help progress our little fellas arrival. We were up for anything. So we both had the lunch fajitas and they were scrumptious! Probably not the meal I would have chosen to eat if I had known the rest of the days events but it actually wasn't a problem at all. Maybe that salsa did help progress things!

We headed to see Dr. Lewis. As she checked me I was quite uncomfortable & she kept apologizing because she knew it was painful. After her exam she said with a smile " Well you're at 5 cm & I'm sending you to the hospital." I couldn't help but yell out a REALLY????? to which she laughed and headed out to write up our paperwork. We immediately looked at each other and just SMILED. It was so exciting yet so surreal. We immediately started calling family because she said our little fella would be here before the mornings light & we wanted everyone to be able to share in our joyful event. John got the Berry family called & B & Coley just happened to be right there with Mama Nissi & Papa John so they were on their way & so was my family!

We headed to the hospital and sat in the parking garage taking care of important things at church that needed to be covered...Caroline, worship practice, feeding the football team, the worship set for Sunday & everything that falls in John's list of responsibilities for a weekend. He wanted to be able to have everything taken care of so he could give us his full attention. I was so grateful for his plans he had made prior to this time. He was prepared just in case we did have Channing on a weekend. Gotta love that about him!

We headed in, had to register because we had planned to do that after our doctors appointment and they took me back. I was immediately taken to my room & got skip triage. So grateful. I had met a girl at the doctors office who was a labor & delivery nurse. She had called & gotten a friend to be my nurse. Love provision from the Lord. I had prayed I would get a wonderful nurse that would help comfort me during this uncertain time & the Lord provided not one but TWO!

I laid in bed watching Channing's heart rate & my contractions from 4:00-6ish never feeling any pain. I was having a good time getting excited with John. His grin went from ear to ear & it gave me so much joy to see him finally getting something he had desired for so long. At about 6 they started pitocin to help regulate the contractions. They kept asking me about the epidural but I just wasn't in pain and didn't feel the need to get it yet. The contractions began to increase as the pitocin was going in and I started having to breathe through contractions about 8:00. My family was there & brought John something to eat so they headed out to the waiting room & I finally got the epidural. I was terrified of that needle. Why they make you watch the video I will never know...I would have been so much better off without seeing it! I sat there on the side of the bed & prayed as tears streamed down my face out of fear for that stupid needle. I hate those things! Before I knew it, Christina my nurse was there encouraging me as I prayed & it was over. Within 20 minutes was at 7 1/2 cm. She said we would definitely see this little guy before midnight.

About 10:30 I started pushing and John was such a cheerleader! Many times I was so excited about it being time to meet him that I wouldn't be able to hold the last of the three breaths! I was just beaming with JOY!!!! Dr. Lewis and John had the best time singing songs & playing with one another. It made it such a fun time! As the big light came down John broke out in song " Blinded by the light...." & Dr. Lewis joined in saying she loved "that JAM". Such peace & joy filled room 2 as I 'labored' for Channing. Dr. Lewis at one point turned to John and asked him if he was ready? John was then given a suit & gloves & told he would deliver Channing! OH HOW I WISH I HAD THE PICTURE OF HIS FACE! It was priceless & is forever embedded in my memory!

Not 20 minutes later a sweet baby boy entered this world by the hands of his father. He was handed to me by John & I loved on him. It was so amazing. He needed a little 'roughing up' as Dr. Lewis said to get him breathing good, but the moment that God breathed life into him was so precious. His lungs were filled with air by his heavenly father and he began his first series of praises! It was glorious!

They checked him & and said he was perfect. We spent an hour or so with him by ourselves and enjoyed the newness of being a threesome! Our family came in and we were able to share him. It was so great to see our journey to parenthood be completed and to be able to share it with our loved ones.

Going home outfit!

We specifically prayed for a few things:

- a son and it was answered

- little pain and it was answered

-great nurses and it was answered

-a joyful and peaceful delivery and it was answered

-a healthy baby and it was answered

What an amazing God we serve! Each time I look at Channing I am reminded of God's faithfulness!

No milkman around here folks.....

Daddy 30 years ago....

Me today......

He's Arrived!

John Channing Berry

October 14, 2010

11:12 pm

7lbs. 8.5 oz

21.5 inches long

Waiting on Our Little Pumpkin

The waiting continues. Last week Doctor Jones met with us & checked me. I was dilated to 2 cm & 70 % effaced. So fun! We both let out a squeal & Dr. Jones just smiled. She said it made her day because it had been a long time since she had seen a couple so excited about their new little one. That night I walked & we tried all the home remedies we could possibly try, but Little Channing wanted to bake some more!

We took some shots of this ginormous belly of mine to remember these last few weeks. I feel as if he has pushed out & just keeps pushing!

This week at 37 weeks we saw Doctor Jones again. She said we were at least 3cm & maybe more and that my cervix was paper thin. She did not doubt that we would go before our due date. She told me to go ahead & make an appointment for next week but she wasn't sure that we would see her!

We've got everything ready...WE THINK! We are so excited about Little Channing's arrival.

Reflecting on the most recent Journey....

The journey to parenthood has been long, hard at times, and down right frustrating at other times. But what GREAT JOY there is when the Lord's timing is perfect. It's amazing to think back about where I was with my Savior & where I am now because of this journey I have been on.

Waiting on the Lord is difficult. It calls you to a place within yourself that is uncomfortable & opposite than that of your flesh. It calls you to relinquish the control you believe you have but never really had if you read the scriptures, and into a place of faith- believing a God that you cannot see.

Isaiah 64:4 says " For since the world began, no ear has heard, and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait on him!"

NOW, I feel that joy of the wait almost being over, but through the wait I was less than a humble and trusting servant of Christ. There were many walls and hurts that he broke down within me during this wait. A tremendous amount of selfishness and pride and that spirit of " I DESERVE THIS".

See what this journey did for me was remind me that I DESERVE NOTHING. There is no sense of entitlement in the family of God. It's all blessing. Blessings poured out on us by a loving God. Blessings that we are called to give back to him to glorify & honor him.

As I see the end of this journey coming in the next few weeks I feel blessed that he would choose to work on me. That my Savior would want nothing more than to strip me of all that held me captive. Galatians 5:1 says " It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." I was burdened with many yokes of slavery and through the journey I have been able to see the Lord remove the yokes I allowed to hold me captive and I now can walk in the freedom of Matthew 11: 30 knowing his "yoke is easy and his burden is light."Great joy comes from trusting that he has our plans perfected in his timing!

I don't know what you are waiting on. We all seem to wait on something throughout the seasons of life, but trust that there is great joy in the journey of waiting. Especially when we are waiting on HIM!

Such a precious family....

John and I have been blessed with a precious church family. We are so blessed with people who love us and have been an active part of praying for this season of our lives to come to pass. Over the past 34 weeks they have been so excited to celebrate with us.

This past weekend we had a baby shower at church to celebrate the arrival of little John Channing. We were blessed with many of our large gifts & a tremendous amount of everything else that he needs to be comfortable, overly comfortable, as he begins his life.

This picture doesn't do all their gifts justice. It filled the ENTIRE car!

That carload includes our pack & play, highchair, toddler car seat (that is not a typo...seriously we have both car seats now!), a diaper cake, books, pacifiers, bibs, socks, bath toys, childproofing kit, kitchen accessories that help with his stuff, a hand knitted blanket, diaper caddy, sleepers, giftcards for Walmart, Target, Babies R US & CRACKER BARREL for those nights I don't want to cook. We received a precious check for his first deposit into his savings account- how thoughtful & so greatly appreciated!

John could not WAIT to put things together.

Overall lots of families showered us with love & precious fits that would help us transition into this new season of life. Its so nice & so exciting to be loved! Above all, I'm so grateful that God has placed us here for this season. I'm thankful that Channing will be brought into a place where he is loved by so many as their very own. It amazes me how many people seem just as excited as me to see this precious boy. Just another reminder that GOD'S plans are perfect!

Faithful....

Ever just need to be reminded that God is faithful & true, just like he says? I had been in that spot for a few days. After looking at the budget & really seeing what a sacrifice it was going to be for me to stay home with my sweet Channing, I was overwhelmed with anxiousness & doubt. Not a great place to be in at 33 weeks preggo when you have plenty of other things to dwell on. Why is it that it always seems to happen? Over & over we need reminded of God's promises & that they aren't just words but TRUTH.



On Wednesday he reminded me again through precious students, their families & our loving volunteers. I had no idea that the evening was anything more than praising our heavenly father & it was just that & so much more precious to me as my heart sang his praises after seeing this:

That my friends is over 1,200 diapers ( yes, I added it up!), 12 large packs of wipes & a collection of butt cremes, outfits & toys! God was whispering in my ear " See daughter, I have it all under control. I've placed you here for such a time as this."

I love his gentle reminders that everything will be ok & that we his 'dumb sheep' need to just trust him. Thank you FUEL families! We are so grateful!

Psalm 56:10 'For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. your FAITHFULNESS reaches to the clouds.'

Channing's Room

We have been working & working to make a room for our new addition. It's something we have talked about for years so we were ready to dive in & now here we are 8 weeks away and we have mostly completed our project. There are a few more little projects to do, but I've got to be in the right mood to fight with the alignment of the vinyl letters :) It would have been absolutely impossible to get all this finished without my AMAZING, STUD of a husband! I'm so grateful for him & his many talents & gifts he's been blessed with!

Channing's room was the guest room. It's at the front of the house facing the street so it has great afternoon sun but the curtains & blinds can be closed to create the coziest little space & I just love it!

The cozy room at night time.

The daylight view.

A-mazing rocker that my hubby & friends from school who gave me gift cards helped purchased! It's so comfy & is complete with our first selection of books from mommy's collection. John read him 2 books last night. Daddy has already asked to be in charge of night time rocks to put Channing to bed. He can hardly wait! Gotta love a guy who's gonna be an incredible daddy!

This little guy is on one of the shelves over the rocker. John has had him since he was a little boy & he has been a constant laugh throughout our marriage because John will put him in place all over the house to 'surprise' me. One day I came into Channing's room to find him resting there.



Love this verse. It was a long project but we persevered it & looks awesome in the room! On the table is his baby book with some pages already filled out & many more memories to be recorded. Also a special frame made by Aunt Coley filled with his first profile ultrasound picture.

Love our furniture which was a gift from my Aunt.

Fresca, complete with Channing's heartbeat recorded in his hand, is waiting for a sweet little boy to drag him around!

Some of this will change as we get our changing pad and move the monitors to the rooms they will be in. To the left, on the dresser, is a tree trunk filled with stuffed animals just his size to play with.

To the left of the little rocker is his closet which is already filling up with cute, cute clothes!

Can't wait to get all these cute little outfits on him. Praying his legs will fit!!!

So ready for our little bundle of joy to come join us! He's must know it, because he's been fighting like crazy the last few days trying to get out of his cramped up space.....8 weeks to go!