Can I just vent....

Can I just vent a minute.  Why in the world do complete strangers feel the need to tell me, a very preggo woman, how big I am. Like I don't know that I'm a huge mammoth. That I don't feel my legs so swollen that they feel like ground sausage being squeezed into it's casing. Take for instance yesterday, 3 COMPLETE strangers  stop me and ask how much longer I had.  When I reply, oh about 5 weeks they act as if I've told them I'm delivering an alien right there in Walmart.  Oh honey, one said, you will never make that and if you do, I feel for you because you are huge!!.. really???? Or when I was getting my hair cut and my hairdresser, whom I love and have been going to for 10 years, says "let's cut your hair a little because your face is swollen and your nose is spreading across your face". oh, are you saying I look like a gorilla??? So just in case you come in contact with me or any other preggo, please just keep your coments to yourself, unless they are of course to tell me how great I look!!! :)

Praise God...

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow..." We received great news from the cardiologist at yesterdays appointment.  After waiting 2.5 hours for our appt. (by the way, Cooper was an Angel during this time..thank goodness for an itouch and cell phones:)), we finally got the echo done and the MD came in and talked with us.  Caden does not have the PDA and VSD like Cooper did but he does have an enlarged fosa ovali which Cooper did as well. This is just something that they will monitor and do a repeat echo when he is born.  We are very thankful that all is well and now we can focus on getting little Caden Layne here to be with his family.  Thank you all for your prayers!!

VACATION!!!!!!

Well, we made it! What a nice and relaxing beach trip!! Coop had his friend Ryan join us for the first part of the trip and I gotta tell ya, they wore us out!! They are some busy little boys. We played putt-putt, went to the amusement park, rode the waves at the beach, played for hours at the pool, and rode the wheels off the golf cart....and that was just the first day!!! No really, they had a great time and I'm so glad he got to join us. 
The rest of the time we got to visit with some of Lee's family that we don't get to see very often which was nice.  We really were very lazy in that every afternoon we would come home and just lay around and watch TV until we decided to go out in the evening (which was nice for me so I could take a little break from the heat). 
Too bad for little Coop, he got a little bug on Tuesday and while we were trying to enjoy a nice dinner at the Japanese restaurant (which is Coops favorite) he decided that he didn't want to keep it down:(  All I can say is those poor people that we were sharing our meal with and the poor workers who had to clean up the trail!!! Of course he still wanted to go to Alligator Adventure afterwards so off we went to buy a new outfit (good thing the outlets were nearby).  For the next 2 days all he did was pretty much sleep.  We took him to the MD today and he said he pretty much thought it was mono.  Sooooo, he's been sleeping and Lee and I have been getting last minute things ready for little Caden.  Please be in prayer that all will look good on our fetal dopler on Wednesday.  We'll keep ya posted!! (beware, lot's of pics to follow)

hang ten dude

fishing off the pier...coop caught a croaker!

my favorite two people in the world!!

whoaaa..did I swallow a watermelon???

my sweet love bug...

the croaker coop caught..7'' and that's no fish tale!!

Random pics and MD visit

So I know it's been a while since I've posted anything so I'll try to catch up.  It has been very busy lately in the Allen family. Cooper's social life keeps me busy!! VBS finished last Friday so this week we are just hanging out and trying to keep cool in the pool because it is HOT!! Lee will leave on Monday to go back to pax river for a couple of days and then we leave for vacation on Thursday...YEA!!!! This year Coop gets to take a friend with him on vacation for a couple of days so it should be a good time.  This little guy that is going with us is pratically part of our family...he and Coop are best buds!! Then, when we get home, Coop will start baseball camp and then...SCHOOL!! Coop is so ready to go back and see what second grade holds...he's such a nerd just like his daddy:)
Caden is doing well and growing like a weed. We went for our checkup yesterday and praise God I had lost 1.5lbs.  I know you may be asking why in the world would I want to loose weight when I'm preggo but it's because I have the weight nazi for a MD.  On my last visit he put me on modified bed rest and a strict diet because of swelling.  So I've been stressed out keeping a food journal of EVERYTHING I eat and watching everything I put in my mouth...which is not supposed to be part of the plan when you're preggo right?!?!
We also have the c-section scheduled for Sept. 5th. The only thing that would change that is if our fetal doppler showed something when we go on the 25th. We are doing this because Coop was born with VSD and a couple of other little heart defects (which healed on their own praise God) so the MD wants to have a head's up before Cade is born if there is an issue. So, as of now, we will meet our little blessing on Sept. 5th. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us with this little guy and our growing family!!! Enjoy the pics...more to come after vacation. Love you all!! Happy 4th!!!

Hanging out in the pool

note the tee...

playing 'sniper' and shooting mommy

waiting for the big one....

got it!!

daddy love

Showered with love...

This past Saturday I was blessed with having my baby shower for little Caden. We had a wonderful turnout and I'm so thankful for all of the goodies that we received. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for God blessing my life with such wonderful friends! Only 10 more weeks to go!!

Sherry, Me, and Mom

Crista and Me

Goodies!!

Hosted by...Kelly, Rene', Tamara, Sherry, and Sharon...Thanks and love you girls!!

Baseball Sunday

As you all know, Cooper is obsessed with playing baseball. He loves it and we love to watch him play!! This past Sunday our church recognized the Temple baseball teams and awarded trophies.  Everyone was excited and it's been a great season with our tournament starting this week. We're so proud of our guys for not only being number 1 in our division (go Temple 1!!), but for the way they handled themselves on the field.  Cheer us on for the tournament!!!

Preggo pics

I'm really going to try and be good about pics from this point in my pregnancy out. It's been a VERY FAST pregnancy and I can't believe I'm already 6 months along.  I guess staying busy with my little guy makes time go fast. So, 3 more months to go and I'm sure the pics will get more amusing along the way. And for those of you who are saying, oh no, 3 more months in the DEAD OF SUMMER.....I KNOW!!

This pic is from a very special day for our family. My wonderful hubby and the men from our small group Bible study have dedicated themselves to teach our boys to become Godly boys growing into men. They've navigated this idea alone and have come up with a creed, covenant, and name--Soldiers of God. I'm so proud that Lee has taken this responsibility to raise Cooper and Caden to be Godly men!