Your first letter...

I remember this evening as if it was just last night. My heart was dancing and I was so excited about our news. I made a special dinner to celebrate. We called our parents, your grandparents and one of your great grandma's just happened to call and I couldn't hold back the news, she squealed when I told her.

It was one of the most exciting days of my life and I will never forget it. I know it doesn't compare to how exciting the day will be when I meet you in person, but just the same, everyday with you so far has been a treasure and a gift.

Before bed that night I sat down and wrote both you and your brother a letter and someday, I will give them to you for you to have and keep, but for now I will put it one here and who knows maybe someday you can read it one here, but I am sure technology will long pass up this system by then.

So here it is, your first letter.

January 3, 2011

Dear Baby Schweiss,

I have been praying and anticipating the news of your arrivall for awhile now.

Truth be told my heart has been waiting and my hands have been busy preparing and today the news finally came.

You are coming.

We are all so delighted about your arrival and absolutely cannot wait to meet you. The first thing we did was call your grandma's and tell them. Just so you know, you are a big deal :)

I made a special dinner tonight to celebrate your news! We had fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans. I made a cherry pie for dessert and spent most of the day day-dreaming about our next few months. I love you a million times to the moon and back already. I wonder what we will name you and just exactly what day you plan to make your debut. Any day is fine with me. God knows when the best birthdays are.

You have a very special person waiting for you.

It is your big brother Weston. He is a very sweet boy and will teach you lots of things I am sure, some good, some bad :)

Your daddy is a wonderful man and I know he will love and adore you.

I feel so incredibly blessed for God to gift us with another child, let alone you.

No doubt you are special and wonderful in every way. I am honored and truly touched to be your mother.

Love,

Momma

I cried as I re-wrote this to you. They were happy tears. When I think of my family and children my heart becomes overwhelmed and the tears just spill. I cant help it. Someday you will get to be a momma too and your heart will understand.

This has been the best summer of my life caring for you and your brother and I cant wait for the years to come of raising you and loving on you. There will be more letters and more special nights, but there will always be something amazing about that first night I heard of you.

See you very very soon baby girl.





Weston has something he wants to say...

He is pretty happy about it...

You will have to watch the video to find out his news....

Free slideshow generated with Smilebox

Sweet Ally,

Your daddy has always loved the name Ally and we decided to spell it with a 'y' like momma's name.

Your middle name will be my maiden name.

It means so much to me to have a little one with my name.

I love my family and where I came from and they are still a big part of my heart; even though I have my own sweet little family to care for and love on.

We will have the same initials until you get married some day.

I think a person's name is important and I hope you like yours.

Your brother learned how to say your name in one night while taking a bath. I think that is special, considering I have been working on please and thank you for several months now and still no go.

Our children are precious gifts to to your daddy and me and we always put a lot of thought into what their names are because we love them so much and want their names to be as special as the wee one we are giving it to.

When I think of what you will be like the word "spunky" always comes to mind and I can just imagine a little dark haired girl bouncing around the house with the name Ally, it just fits.

We considered other names, but always kept coming back to Ally, it's yours.

You have a good name.

I think it will fit you well, My Sweet Ally Terrill

Sweet Baby Girl

Hello there sweet one.

Before long I will be telling you my thoughts and sharing my joys with you in person.

Until then, here is what we have been doing to prepare for your arrival.

After sharing the news of you;  your grandma's, brother and I went shopping for some sweet baby girl things.

It was a good day :)

And we were able to find you lots of things.

When your daddy got home last night he opened this (his work shirts are usually in there) and I heard him say "Oh cute"

It is pretty cute stuff.

The clothes hanging were what we bought you with the exception of a few dresses, which were mine.

On the next shelf, the things folded were your brothers and I cant wait to see you in them.

Below that is my baby blanket, some books from my childhood and a few other odds and ends I am putting back for you.

You will be welcomed with opened arms and happy hearts.

Your daddy felt you for the first time this week. He is usually already asleep by the time I lay down and you begin your gymnastics routine across my belly, but one evening he finally got to feel you.

Your big brother has been sick so you have had a lot of close contact with him lately. His exploring has been replaced with mommy rocking him to which you like.

You move alot to his voice and his movement.

The other day he had drifted off to sleep in my arms and your were going crazy. It was like you were trying to wake him up. Then he smiled in his sleep and let out a little giggly noise. I think you guys had your own game going :)

My dress and your dress

Sweet slippers from granny

I am trying to prepare in everyway possible, but I know nothing will prepare me for meeting you for the first time.

I think about you a lot. Will you like pink? Will you be a girly girl or will you rather ride 4 wheelers with your daddy and brother than play dolls.

I think you will be a tomboy. I partially was. I had three brothers so I didnt really have a choice, plus I wanted to do EVERYTHING my older brother Blake did.

I imagine you spunky and dark headed.

I imagine you a lot like your daddy.

Whom I love

There are so many things I want to make you this summer.

I am starting with a few simple projects and then will move onto some harder ones I think.

Maybe someday you will want to learn to sew and crochet and spend afternoons working with me.

I would love that, but I would be just as happy to have you bouncing around out in the woods catching butterflies

 and building forts.

No doubt you will be wonderful.

I remember the first time I met your brother. I always thought I would cry. I cried thinking about it. But the first time I layed eyes on him my heart was overtaken by how sweet he was. In all my preperation I never imagined that. That is how God works. He delights in our hearts and taking us by surprise.

I cant wait for whatever he surprises me with when I see you.

My prayer is for contiued health for you and I in the next few months.

A safe delivery and healthy baby girl to bring home and love on.

To show you around the house and show you the deer in our woods and take you for walks and have your brother show you the airplanes in the sky.

For now I just have to wait.

But know I am excited, so very excited to meet you.

Love,

Momma

Celebrating you...

We celebrated you last night baby girl. Your big brother and I made these for you to tell your family to expect some bows and dolls :) A first for your daddies family.

You are already so loved and we havent even seen the wrinkle of your nose yet.

Your brother was ALL ABOUT making cupcakes for his sister. He had to stir the icing, use the icing bag, everything that mommy did he had to do for his little sis.

It was messy, but very fun.

I couldnt help but think of each of you helping me with one another's Birthday cakes and surprises for daddy.

My prayer is you have a special bond like I do with my brother.

We are very close and always have been and are about the same age difference as you and Weston will be.

We welcome the news of a sweet baby girl with complete joy and antcipation.

Especially your daddy. He has never held a baby girl and I know without a doubt he will be your biggest fan.

I am absolutely thrilled he will get to have the gift of a daughter. I know you will bring more to our lives than we could ever expect and imagine, just like your brother did.

Love you baby girl.

See you in September

Hello Baby

Last night I was laying in bed before I fell asleep and you began to move.

I smiled and told you goodnight.

I cant believe that we are half way through the waiting period before we get to meet you.

I cant believe we find out if you are a boy or girl next week.

Here we are at 14 weeks, crazy that it was almost six weeks ago when I took this picture.

You have been keeping me busy with all the eating and resting I have been doing for us.

I was just beginning to see signs of you growing here, I felt "so big" and I laugh now, because I few short weeks later you begin staking your ground.

It is obvious I have a child in my belly right now and I love that.

Pregnancy fits me I guess.

Around this period I still struggled a bit with not feeling well and one night I decided to rest after dinner.

Your big brother crawled up in the chair with me to keep me company. He knew something was not right with his mommy and did all his sweet little body could do to comfort me.

I know without a doubt he will be the same with you.

He doesnt know it yet, but he is going to have a new favorite person here in a few months :)

He and I spend most of our days at home and I think it is where we both enjoy being the most.

I hope you like it here. I am sure you will make it your own in your own little sweet way just like your brother has.

I have began preparing for your arrival already. Thoughts of that special day fill my head constantly and I cant help to both get excited and for my heart to fill with complete joy and anticipation.

I love going to your doctor's appointments and hearing your little heart and even sometimes we get to see you.

You move a lot and I like that. I like knowing that you are there. I catch myself holding my belly all the time and daydream about having a newborn in our home again.

It is amazing to me how much I already love you and how close to you I feel although I have never seen your face and we havent decided on your name yet.

My love is still there and still strong and that is part of what being a mom is all about.

God gives you a heart for your children and you didnt even ask for it.

Another one of His gracious gifts.

And here we are last week.

All of a sudden you just really popped out there :)

Last week was also the first time I felt you somersault.

It was right before your daddy got home and I was sitting in the recliner (you and i will spend a lot of time there I am sure:)

I feel you move all the time, but daddy is yet to get to feel you.

He held his hand on my belly for a really long time the other day hoping to get to, but you must have been sleeping.

So here we are little one, nineteen weeks. Before long we will be swimming and I bet you will like that as well as mommy's tired body. I am trying to teach your big brother to say "baby" so when you get here he and you can chat.

We cant wait to meet you and share you with our family. You will make the big trip to Missouri almost the exact same age as your brother did for the first time.

You are so special because you are you and because God made you and we cant wait to be a part of your little life.

All my love,

Momma

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him"

1 Samuel 1:27