the final stretch...

It's hard to believe that we are exactly 8 weeks away from meeting Gabe! I promise posts will be much more plentiful when I have a really cute baby model of whom I will post millions of  pictures.
Some updates:
BABY SHOWER IS SUNDAY! Whoa, where did the time go?! I am so excited to see my family and friends and to shower baby Gabe with so much love.

I have been worried about every little thing since the pregnancy began, but it has been worse lately.  Being a diabetic has always had its challenges, but being a pregnant diabetic is just more difficult than I could have ever imagined. I have started weekly doctor's appointments, so at least my mind is somewhat eased when I see that perfect wiggle worm and hear that heartbeat. 

I am halfway done with my second long term clinical rotation! YAY! I am loving it (though I am exhausted, and my feet look like tree trunks by the end of each day).  One step closer to being DR. HOCHSTETLER and having an income :)

Michael is the PERFECT husband.  I am so blessed to have married such a wonderful man who takes care of me and helps out with EVERY household chore when I just want to put my feet up and relax.  I never knew I could love someone so much.  The only drawback: hunting season.  I am so dang bored on the weekends!

We appreciate the continued prayers as we finish this crazy ride, and we are so excited to have a healthy baby in January!  Oh, and I can't wait to have some (a lot of) wine haha

planning is fun :)

As we await sweet baby Gabe's arrival, I get to start planning all the fun baby things.  My parents are buying the nursery furniture, and we picked out some precious bedding while it was on sale.  I also started a baby gift registry at Babies R Us online which was completely overwhelming and scary!  I could never have imagined so many needs for such a tiny person. Thankfully, my mom is throwing us a baby shower in late November (before the Christmas crazy-ness) and just in time for Gabe's January birthday. I am so so excited! 

It's hard to believe we will be welcoming our son so soon!  Football season has begun, Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner, and Christmas isn't too far behind.  Before we know it, new years will pass and we will be bringing Gabe home from the hospital.  I am so thankful for the encouragement and prayers from our friends and family and ask that it continues for the next few months.  Doctor's appointments are plentiful, and it's getting tough as I try to finish out these clinical rotations, but I am so thankful for every milestone Gabe and I pass healthily together.

Much love and updates to come as we progress :)

The new crib and bedding

Letters from the fabulous etsy.com that match the bedding :)

Some TECH clothes for next year and PJ's for this year!

Michael, Gabe, and I at Gabe's first Louisiana Tech game!

it's a boy!

As unconventional as it started, and as unexpected as it was....Michael and I are excited to be welcoming a new addition to the family in January!  We found out at our 17 week scan last Thursday that we are having a baby boy who appears to be perfect so far.  Gabriel "Gabe" David Hochstetler will make his debut in just about 4 months! 

We (and by "we" I mean Michael) have been busy getting the house ready for baby Gabe.  We have redone the kitchen, much too late in my opinion, and we have cleared out what is to be his nursery.  I have mostly been complaining of how uncomfortable I am and have been talking Michael's ear off about ideas that pop into my head while he is the perfect husband and pretends to listen and tends to my ever so annoying needs.

Michael and I are looking forward to sharing this journey via baby blog, and I ask for prayers and encouragement through this new experience in our lives.  Here are some pictures (sorry they're fuzzy) of the newest little Hochstetler!