Baby Hogan Nursery

While we are playing the waiting game I thought I would share some pictures of the nursery now that everything is done!

I had a lot of fun dreaming and seeing it all come together. Its just how I hoped it would be. We can't wait to bring home our sweet girl to this sweet nursery!

 

Some of my favorite details...

 

 My mom found this map and it brought everything together. Sweet soft colors, animals and the sense of adventure that maps bring. The bottom of it says, "Compassion for the world and all who inhabit it"

We knew we wanted this verse represented somewhere in the nursery. I love having it displayed with this elephant hook that hung in my Mimi's kitchen. 

Of course our love of maps and globes spilled over into the nursery!

This bunny was the initial inspiration for the whole nursery. My sweet friend Keeley gave this to me years ago and I knew that if I got to decorate a nursery one day that this would be the inspiration behind it all! 

This sweet guy was one of the things I grabbed years ago after I had been inspired by the bunny picture!

Our bags are packed! We are ready to meet our sweet girl any day now!

Baby Hogan - Weeks 32-36

Crazy to think that unless I make it all the way to my due date this could be the last blog update before Stevie's arrival! Here's hoping that she doesn't come late and my next post is an arrival announcement!

Feeling: So tired and yet so restless at night, some contractions, back pain, leg pain, congestion, and oh the emotions.. I get all teary eyed over a lot lately (ya know rational things like I can't get off the couch, Fitz needs to go outside again, the butter is too cold to spread on my bread, we are going to outlive Fitz (WHY oh WHY do thoughts like this pop into my pregnant head??) and when I realized we only had like 3 pairs of pajamas for her and what kind of mom doesn't have enough pajamas for their child...Aubrey is very good about sweetly talking me down from these crazy ledges) but mostly when I imagine meeting this baby girl for the first time. I had this awesome idea that I would write a letter to her before she was born...and then 20 minutes of crying later it was done...needless to say it is much shorter than I first imagined..!

Craving: Smoothies everyday, Corn on the cob, so. much. spinach dip, ice cream cones, Chick-fil-a,

Milestones: Class at the hospital, one last baby shower for our sweet girl, buying everything else we needed off the registries, per-registering for birth at the hospital, moving to weekly Dr. appointments, outgrew my maternity jeans and had to buy a bigger size, birthing class, being less than a month away from our due date!

Anticipating: Labor and the arrival of our girl!

32 weeks 

33 weeks

 35 weeks

 36 weeks

Baby Hogan - Weeks 28-32

The weeks seem to be flying by, probably because our to-do list before Stevie arrives is never ending!

Feeling: So tired, and yet so restless at night, some serious heartburn that has made me cry at times... (which I'm sure has nothing to do with the extra hormones and sleep deprivation...!), speaking of hormones...hello crazy emotions, lots of nesting, some braxton hicks contractions.

Craving: Pickles (how stereotypical!), green beans, squash and zucchini, BLUE BELL (it is FINALLY back in my life!), spinach dip, queso dip, bacon sandwiches, still a smoothie everyday.

Milestones: Moving from a Dr.'s appointment every 4 weeks to every 2 weeks, first snow with a bump, finishing touches on nursery decor (pictures coming soon!), putting together her stroller and car seat, starting to pack the hospital bags, my mom booking her flight to come to Asheville! - So many things that can only mean her arrival is just around the corner!

Anticipating: Making the most of the last few weeks with just the two of us! Meeting our sweet girl so soon!

28 weeks

30 weeks - and a "Hello!" from Fitz

31 weeks - First snow in Asheville!

 32 weeks

Article: This IS Our Problem: Fixing Foster Care in America, My Part (And Yours)

We are so excited about this pregnancy and everything it means for our family and it would be so easy to focus all of our attention on the changes and excitement ahead, however I have been continually thankful for the small and big reminders of the call and passion we have towards adoption and foster care. Though the excitement of our growing family is good and deserves attention, I never want to lose the burden that has been placed on my heart for the thousands of children who aren't as lucky as Stevie will be to be born surrounded by so many family and friends that will love and support her.

I know that the unique place we find ourselves right now doesn't allow us to move forward in the way we know we are called to eventually, but I do pray that God continues to break my heart for what breaks his.

Today, the reminder came in the form of a wonderful article calling us all to play a part in giving a voice to the children without one. God has called us to take care of the widows and orphans. I don't believe that means we are all called to adopt or foster, but it does mean there is a role for us all to play. This article has some great options for ways we can all speak up for the kids in our own Foster Care system.

You can find the article here.

Baby Hogan - Weeks 24-28

As the last day of 2015 draws to an end I am a little emotional as I think about everything this past year held and everything 2016 promises. (Or maybe its just hormones...!) 2015 has been a crazy and wild year filled with so many exciting memories that we will always cherish, but we cannot wait for all that the next year will hold. We can't wait to meet our sweet girl, learn to be parents, and capture all the milestones that we will experience with Stevie! God has been and continues to be so good to us. Let's do this 2016!

I can't believe the THIRD and FINAL trimester is here! :O Where has the time gone!

Feeling: Generally pretty good. Back pain, heartburn, general exhaustion, and trouble sleeping at night. Oh also - hello hormones. The things I get teary over... oh my.

Craving: Homemade salsa, coke floats, sauteed green beans, cookie dough (don't worry I didn't give in...but making Christmas cookies this year was a major test of will power!) Most random craving was definitely for strawberry sheet cake. It. Was. Amazing. Still loving my smoothies just about every day!

Milestones: Our annual trip to Louisiana with a bump during which I, by some kind of Christmas miracle, did not get the stomach virus the rest of the family did. Getting to see so many friends and family in Louisiana. We celebrated our last Christmas without our sweet girl and tonight we will ring in the new year - a year where we will meet sweet Stevie! 

Anticipating: Organizing the house and nursery, touring the hospital, taking a birth class, but mostly just the arrival of our sweet girl!!

24 weeks - In Lee's Summitt, MO

 25 weeks - Home in Asheville, NC

No pictures from weeks 26 & 27, we were in Louisiana and everyone who could take the picture was sick... and when they finally felt better we were too busy catching up to remember to take a picture!

 28 weeks - Back home until Stevie's arrival!

Baby Hogan - Weeks 20-24

I've been on the road on a grand adventure seeing so many friends and family these past weeks! 

Feeling: Overall pretty great. Definitely some aches and pains that are always present and I'm so tired, but still pretty great.

Craving: Because I've been on the road I've gotten to eat so many of my favorites from all over! Blue Bell ice cream has returned to Texas so I ate that every. single. day. that I was there! I've had Taco Bueno's mexi-dips and chips four times! LOTS of delicious Mexican food, fabulous Thanksgiving spread, and my many requests for my mom and dad's home-cooking! Still rocking my smoothies every day.

Milestones: Traveling with a baby bump! Seeing so many friends and family and lots of them getting to feel Stevie's sweet kicks. She's kicking strong enough now that they are visible movements in my belly - if you happen to be staring at it when she does! Family and friends showering Stevie with all sorts of fun goodies! Taking some fun pictures with Tay and Molly and snapping a few maternity pictures as well!

Anticipating: The infamous glucose test is coming up. I'm not really anticipating it, but it should be something to remember based on everyone's faces whose ever had to do it! Starting the decorating and nesting in the nursery! We have one more cross-country road trip to make in December as we go see Aubrey's family for Christmas!

20 weeks

 21 weeks - spent in Ardmore, OK, Watauga, TX and Witchita Falls, TX

Photo by Alexis Hines Photography

No pictures from weeks 22&23 - Spent in Watauga, TX and Lee's Summit, MO

24 weeks - Spent in Lee's Summit, MO

Baby Hogan - Weeks 16-20

Half way there!

Feeling: Pretty great. I will now join the chorus of other pregnant women who say the second trimester is awesome. I will take the new symptoms like heartburn over nausea any day.

Craving: A lot of the same. I really haven't had many huge out of the blue weird cravings... I eat a lot of Chick-fil-a and I have a smoothie every. single. morning.

Milestones: First little flutters and kicks! Amazing. Telling family and friends that we are having a little girl and that her name is Stevie! Got to see our sweet Stevie at the 18 week ultrasound! She was so busy in there waving, kicking, and sucking her thumb.  We took the guest bed out of the second room in our apartment to make the transition from "Guest Room" to "Nursery" official!

Anticipating: The upcoming holidays and my big trip where I will get to see so many friends and family! My first shower for sweet Stevie later this month! Flying with a belly...praying all goes smoothly.

16 weeks

18 weeks

19 weeks

20 weeks

Stevie at 18 weeks sucking her thumb!