Good Looks

Lately, I've been giving some thought as to what I want our little man to look like.  I know that it won't matter because he'll be good looking no matter what, but there are still certain characteristics I want him to get from Michael or me.
Like my toes. I don't know anyone else with toes like mine, and it would be nice to have someone to share this with. lol I'm messing about that.

Here is a list of things I want our baby to have:
a face
a body
a brain.

Mommy on her honeymoon.  Aka "the non-fat days"

Now more specifically, here is a list of things I want Zephaniah to get from me:
nose
head size (mainly because I don't want to give birth to someone with a head the size of Michael's)
forehead
eyes
feet
cheeks
knees (Michael has awful knees.  They hurt quite often.)
chin

Daddy after he got all of his hair chopped off. 

Things I want him to get from Michael:
hair
eyebrows
ears
eyes (I'm torn with this one)
legs
torso
neck
lips (Michael's lips are so much nicer than mine)
hands
arms
butt (cause that's funny)
lashes? (it depends on who's eyes he has)
skin


Notice, the list for Michael is much longer.  I don't know if I have offended myself or I just feel that way because we are having a boy.  Whatcha think?  Also, would my eyes look good on a boy? I just don't know.  And just to remind you again, I know he will be handsome no matter who he looks like.  I just like to play with these ideas in my head.  Whatever he looks like, he will be (already is) the most wonderful little man in the world to these two people.  God has made him fearfully and wonderfully, and God's ways are perfect. :)

Happy parents.

Kicks: They're Something Special

In this world, I have known many emotions, but none of them can quite compare to the feeling I get when Zephaniah kicks me. There is something to be said about growing a child in the womb, and it is that God has blessed women. Yes, labor itself is not a blessing, but pregnancy is an awe inspiring thing. I can't imagine what holding this little one will feel like when just knowing he's there already makes me tear up! Well, maybe that's just hormones.
It is just too cool when you look down at your large belly and see little lumps rising and falling.
Also, Michael had the chance to feel him the other day!

Being a mother is exciting. Getting kicked in the bladder and nearly peeing yourself is a trophy. I wouldn't change it.
Here's to moms and to all the women who want to be one. You're a gift from God.

You guys were WRONG!

A majority of you voted that this here child was a girl.  Well . . . you were WRONG and I have the evidence!!

His little face.  And no . . . i don't think that's his hands.  I think that's me.

I know it's distasteful.  But it's the proof.

If that's not a little man then I don't know what is!

Thanks for voting! And to those who voted that our child was a boy: Congratulations!!!

Can't wait to see you face to face, Zephaniah Lloyd Manley!

"Maybe I think YOU'RE crazy!"

You grow up learning certain things, and these things aren't always taught you by your parents.  Sometimes, they are just cultural normalities.
Things like: Get good grades.
Be accomplished at something (for example music, sports, dance, etc . . .).
Get into a good college (Whether you go or not isn't an option. You are going.).
Get a respectable job so you can support yourself. Women must follow this in case their husband passes.
401k
After you find this job, you can get married.
After you have been married awhile (3-5 years), you can have kids.
Send your kids to VBS.
If you are a woman, you should probably still work so that you can live to a higher standard.
You should only have about three kids.  More than that is too many to love and support financially.
Make sure your kids also follow the entire list.  Only then will you have been a successful parent.
Work hard.
Retire and relax.
And most importantly, follow the list in this order. Do not mix up the list or life will be hard for you.



I have experienced the list, and I have been told this list many times.  Heck, I remember one time picking up a pen that showed the steps of this list every time you clicked it.  Amazingly, I believed the pen.  Everyone in America believes the pen!  But is the pen right?

I'll have to say it's wrong.  This list I gave you is nothing more than an excuse to ignore the Word of God so that we can live comfortably.

"What they crap?! Are you crazy?!  There is absolutely nothing wrong with that list.  It's practical and smart.  It insures a good life."

Well, to you I say, "YOU are crazy."  God did not call me to live a good life, He called me to glorify Him.

I'll admit that I wanted to follow the list.  I wanted to go to college, FINISH, get a job, get married, wait a few years then have kids, and make sure my family went to church. That was my list.  In no way, did I expect God to call me into marriage at the age of nineteen.  In no way, did I expect to be pregnant with my first child before the age of twenty-one.  And above all, I certainly did not expect to drop out of college.

Because I have not followed the list, I have been harshly criticized, and I assume people think me irresponsible. But I must disagree. Let me explain myself.



1. Marriage at nineteen.
Cultural thoughts: "You are not ready for marriage.  You don't yet have the means to live comfortably, and you haven't finished school. Also, you won't get to do all the things you want to do.  Did you know the divorce rate is 50%? The chances of this lasting are small."


My thoughts:  I love Michael, and I plan to love him always.  Love is a choice.  Also, marriage will be hard work whether I do it now OR later.  I want Michael; I could care less if I'm a rockstar as long as I have him.  God has called me to it.  And lastly, who gives a crap about school?  I want Michael to be my husband.  Which is more important?  Michael or school?  Let me tell you: Michael, hands down, every time. Did God not ordain marriage?  Are you saying He can't bless mine because I'm not twenty-five?

2.  Planned pregnancy
Cultural thoughts: "You will have a hard time finishing school.  Children are A LOT of work, and they cost more money than you have right now.  You don't have much life experience, and you will most definitely not get to enjoy life now!  You're just too young. You need to spend more time with your husband."


My thoughts: Once again, I love my children, born yet or not.  I'm ready to love them in person.  God will provide our needs, and this is a recent thing where people wait a long time to have children.  People were getting married and having children in their TEENS a century ago.  Also, they lived in far worse conditions than Michael and me.  When did people start hating children?  Are they not a gift from the Lord?  When the crap did they become a HINDRANCE?  And another thing, I will always have time with Michael, children or not.  It's called being married in front of your children so they have an example.   And what things won't I get to do?  I've always wanted to be a mommy!



3. Dropping out of college.
I'm not even gonna state the cultural argument cause everyone knows it.
My thoughts: I'm not gonna use my degree in a job.  It's gonna hang on my wall cause all I want is to be a godly wife and mother.  I can learn outside of college.  I won't be an idiot and uneducated just because I dropped out.  My husband and child are more important than my education. (GASP!)
And IF Michael goes before me, then I expect to be just fine without a college degree. Not all jobs require them.


Yes I'm frustrated.  People are rude to someone who is trying to follow the call of God in their life.
Tell me, why can't God call someone to live outside the list?  When has God EVER been confined to OUR lists?  When has God NOT provided when He called someone?

That is my rant. I'm tired of our cultures way of doing things.  It's holding Christians back.  Be brave people!  Be bold!  Do hard things and stop being afraid that life will be uncomfortable for you!!

And then read this.
Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr.

That is all.

This is disfunction.  

Boy or Girl: Put in your vote!

Okay people, Lord willing we will know what this baby is by Wednesday afternoon!!  As you may have read on my Facebook, the drug-store gender test said it was a boy.  Was it right?  We shall see!

Here's the guy responsible.

So tell me what you think.  To the right, above the picture of Michael and I, is a poll where you can select your answer.  You have till Wednesday at 4pm!

This Thang Has Got to be a Girl.

 1.         This baby is sucking the beauty out of me.  Not only have I gained weight, which is only to be expected, but I am breaking out in places that I never have before.  No matter the soap, no matter the remedy, no matter how hard I try, the breakouts just won't stop.  Sure, I had a few before I got pregnant, just like everyone else, but this is ridiculous!  My neck? Really, baby? It looks like I'm a teenage boy who attempted to shave for the first time.  You know what? That's what my whole face looks like!  It looks like I tried to shave my face!
          You better be one good-lookin' kid, and you better be glad for the existence of Bare Minerals.  That's all mommy has to say about that.

2.          Also, last night, Michael gently tackled me, and I landed on top of him.  He let me know how heavy I was getting.  Thank you, Michael.  That was first-class. lol

*Disclaimer* I didn't take this picture. I don't know who did. lol

3.          Another thing.  Any other pregnant women have everyone in the world try and tell them what to do?  I just feel like, "Come one now.  I'M the parent.  I'M having this baby.  If I want your advice, I will be sure to ask for it, but until then please let me be the mommy."  It doesn't matter who it is, parents, strangers, people from church; I just wish that people would let me have this baby.  I'm not a dummy. I've read plenty of pregnancy books that say this kind of treatment is to be expected, but I feel like it's only going to get worse once the baby is actually here. Oh well.  I'll just start telling people how I feel. 

            Of course, there are certain people that you don't mind getting advice from, such as your concerned husband or really close friend, but that's about it for me.  After awhile, "advice giving" starts to seem more like, "I want to be in charge of everything because I know better than you." That's just the way I see it.  Also, "advice" might be the wrong word.  Maybe "out of nowhere suggestions about a topic that we weren't even discussing" is better.  

            Lord, please help me be patient.  I so desperately need it when it comes to dealing with others.   You have been so patient with my stubborn self. 

Idk who this is. I got it off of Google images.

A Cute Family

1. I just ADORE this young mother and her child.  They are so precious.  You can see her whole pregnancy unfold on her YouTube channel.

2.  Today, we finally got the love-seat moved out of our living room so we will have a place to put the baby's crib.  Hopefully it's coming in soon.  I absolutely love the finishing on the wood and the railing on the changing table.   

courtesy of babiesrus.com

3. I was sent something in the mail from babybedding.com, and it said you could make your own custom bedding.  It looked interesting, so I visited the site and threw this bad boy together.  It's gender neutral just the way I wanted, and it matches my living room.  I didn't design a bumper because recent studies show that they are dangerous and may be the cause of SIDS in some infants.  Cribs now-a-days are made safely enough, with slats close enough, to where you don't even really need a bumper for any reason other than looks.   

4. Car seats are a difficult thing to shop for.  There are SO MANY different kinds.  Personally, I'd rather get an infant car seat because they can easily be removed from the car and can be used to carry the baby around.  Convertible car seats just aren't that easy.  (Convertible car seats are seats that can be both rear-facing and front-facing.)  Any experienced mom's who recommend one or the other?

5. Sleepy Wraps look like the most beautiful thing in the world to me.  Unlike slings, they use the support of both shoulders instead of one, and they cause the baby's head to rest closer to the heart.  You can even breast feed with them on and not even have to use any extra covering.  You can also tie them so that you can carry your baby in a variety of differing ways.  I personally love the orange, but I may also order the green.

courtesy of sleepywrap.com

That's pretty much all for now. :)

Baby Names

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!


NOTICE: This is not a vote. :)

We have basically decided on names. So here it goes.

For a girl, we were thinking Ella Alexandra Manley.
For a boy, we like something along the lines of Zephaniah Lloyd Manley.


We have chosen these names because of meaning, and we darn sure like the way they sound! These names are subject to change, but we think we pretty much have this decided. :)

Meanings
My source for baby name meanings is BabyNames.com.

Ella
Reason: As my mama loves to explain to everyone,  "Ella Enchanted" is my all-time favorite book. I've read it cover to cover probably ten times or more.  It is simply amazing, and to this day I love to read the book.  (Btw, the movie did the book absolutely NO justice.) I decided, that if we had a girl, that we would name her after this beloved fictional character of mine.  I've always admired her, so it only made sense.
Meaning: Young girl
Origin: Spanish

Alexandra
Reason: I've always loved this name.  I've wanted to name a child of mine Alexandra since my early teens. It just sounds so classy and lovely. (And mythical. I know- I'm a total loser.)
Meaning: Defender of the people
Origin: Greek

Zephaniah
Reason: I was flipping through my Bible one afternoon.  The name popped out at me, so I said it out-loud. Michael lit up.  "I like that. We should name our kid that.  Besides,  Maximus Manley is just too cool for any kid." (He wanted to name our boy Maximus.  See, the Word always pulls through in the tough times.)  I've also been told this name sounds too ethnic for a little white boy.  That's fine with me.  Our kids will need some culture.
Meaning: God has hidden
Origin: Hebrew
Note: In Hebrew it's pronounced "Tse-FAHN-yah." A minor prophet in the Bible.


Lloyd
Reason:  This is my dad's name.  He passed away December 29, 2010 from pulmonary fibrosis, and I just can't see myself not naming my first son after him.  (If we never have a boy, I'm still gonna try to fit something in with a girl.  I just have to.)  I love him the mostest and miss him so much.  He was the best Papa in the world, and he loved the Lord Jesus with all his heart.  He was a small church pastor for about 30 years, and he remained devoted to his flock until the day he died.  He, excluding my husband, was the greatest man that I will ever know.  

Meaning: Grey  (I know that's a simple meaning, but the real meaning is behind the person who had the name.)
Origin: Welsh




Here are some more names that we considered:
Shiloh
Silas
Michael (for a girl)
Maximus
Annie Mae (after my grandmother)
Frodo (nah. I'm just playin')

I LOVE the names we choose.  They were chosen pretty carefully, and I can't wait to see which names we will have the opportunity to use for this baby.

Oh, Baby Baby!: Are we positive that patience is a virtue?

Oh, Baby Baby!: Are we positive that patience is a virtue?: "1. Nausea Nauseousness, I dealt with it for two months and came out the other end of it with a new o..."

Are we positive that patience is a virtue?

1. Nausea
          Nauseousness, I dealt with it for two months and came out the other end of it with a new outlook on food.  People, do NOT take the ability to enjoy food for granted. Food is beautiful to the pregnant lady, but it is the most awful thing to not be able to eat it during "morning sickness".
          Also, I'd like to know who coined the term "morning sickness".  Liar.  I could slap you right across the jaw.  You should have called it "ALL FRICKIN' DAY LONG!!! sickness".  Forget you, man.  And forget my love for garlic too, cause the ability to even look at it went down the drain when I was six weeks pregnant. Good grief.

2. First Trimester Ultrasound
         So anyway, I was patient with the nausea, but then I had to wait for my first ultrasound A WHOLE EXTRA WEEK.  Come on Lexington Women's Care, I know it was Christmas, but you can work for me right? Whatever.
         I waited on that and FINALLY got to see my baby for the first time.  Such a precious thing to see.  (Even though, I must say, it looked like a peanut, you know, something I might accidentally eat if I didn't realize what it was.  Hey, don't judge me.  I'm pregnant; I'm hungry. Just look for yourself.)

         See, a peanut. :)  Also, isn't my uterus beautiful?  I really like it.  (That's a "Baby Mama" joke for all you people who think I'm absurd.)  Okay, back to patience.

3. Second Trimester Ultrasound
          NOW, I'm having to wait a whole two more weeks to find out the sex of my baby.  I'll be 21w 4d by the time I find out the sex of our little snot blower.  You know why? Because God wants me to learn patience.  As you can see, I can't wait for anything because I get overly enthusiastic about everything in my life.  Someone needs to calm me down.
          Thank you, Lexington Women's Care.  You are doing the job well.  Bless you and your policy of only doing "necessary" ultrasounds.

 

A new thing.

          It is an odd thing to try and convince your husband that you NEED a baby. Yeah, you can bet this cry baby did just that. There were tears, prayers, times of begging and many more dramatic attempts to convince Michael that we were ready. (I am exaggerating- a little.)  Eventually, he let me know that I was stressing him out and he just needed time to think and pray about it. So, I let it go, and waited . . . a week. (I'm so impatient.) But, to my surprise, he agreed with me. It was time to have a baby. We hadn't been married for a year yet, but it was time. Stupid me, I suppose, thought that once you agreed to have a baby, they just appeared sometime that week. As anyone in the 7th grade will tell you, that's just not so.
        
          The first month was exciting. I can't tell you how ready I was to take that first pregnancy test. I think I literally ran to the bathroom. I sat there and waited for a grueling two minutes and then snuck a peek. Negative. I was devastated! What more could I do, right? Keep trying?! (So dramatic.) So, I finished off that month the way I had since I was thirteen. Not pregnant and in need of Kotex.
Most people don't conceive their first month of trying, so why should I worry? I'm so impatient. I think after one month I gave up. I decided that it would happen when it happened. And that's exactly when it happened.

          Thanksgiving was a blast. I went to NJ to celebrate with my husband's Aunt and her kids. (One of them had recently been blessed with twins. I held that little girl for hours.) We went to New York City the day before we left and toured like country people do.

        
         The next day we came home. Clemson and Carolina were playing that night so we had to make it back in time for that. Out of sheer suspicion, I decided to take a pregnancy test. I sat there, expecting a negative, and sure enough, there it was! But wait. I looked really close at that blank spot. It was changing colors! No FREAKIN WAY! "Is that a line?!" So dumb me, sitting on the toilet, was all like, "Michael! COME HERE!"
          He saw the line too.
          I refused to believe it, but a doctor's appointment a couple days later revealed that it WAS a line. The most beautiful line in the world.
          I'm so awesome and patient. I made a baby all by myself! Take that world! But seriously, we all know Who really gets the credit for this Little One. :)