32 Weeks Along

At 32 Weeks...

How your baby's growing:



By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus.
You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he/she'll gain a third to half of their birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he/she fattens up for survival outside the womb. The baby now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz).  The skin is becoming soft and smooth as he/she plumps up in preparation for birth.
(From BabyCenter! Web E-mail)
 
My Update: At 32 Weeks
All is well.  I am still having pressure down low.  At times it feels like a tight band is around me.  But everything checks out Ok at the OB.  The baby is doing fine.  We can't wait to meet him SOON!

Our Anniversary

SIX YEARS

It's hard to believe that we have been married 6 years!  Time continues to go by faster and faster.  And MUCH faster since we started having kids!  Of course we have had our up's and down's but through it all, we have had each other.  These six years are just the start of a life-time of growing together.  We are not the same people we "fell in love with" in college.  We have grown and changed and experienced life.  We have allowed God to teach us and shape us more and more into who we created to be in this season of life. This season of being young parents, is fun, never dull, and is certainly FULL of LIFE!  We have learned better communication, although I think this must be something that you continually work on and tweak.  We have learned that love is often a choice.  We choose to love.  We choose to honor.  We choose to serve each other or place the other person above ourselves.  I see so much more in my husband than most people do... but maybe that is just because we have become best friends and I know in all different circumstances.  He is solid.  He is steady.  He is very wise.  There is a longing deep inside of him to see and do things that are yet to be done...   I see the treasure in him.  I see who he really is.  I see who God has called him and set him apart to become and to be.  I see an amazing man with an amazing heart and I am grateful to be his partner.  I am blessed by him.  I am blessed by his friendship and his playful spirit.  I am blessed by the way he father's our children!  I am blessed by his willingness to do just about ANYthing to provide for his family -- never thinking he's too good for hard work.  His work ethic is incredible. 

But most of all...

I am blessed that my best friend, my husband of six years, loves Jesus and knows that he is loved in return, by the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  There is a great freedom in our lives because we live in this truth (even when our current circumstances do not make since).  He leads me and reminds me of the truth & everlasting promises of God's word.  He is a man after God 's heart.  And I am deeply grateful.

Because my husband is this great man, this pioneer, this renegade... who is also the jack of all trades (plays guitar, can fix things, is great with computers, A/V, and gadgets, is a wonderful leader, people person, very creative, etc...) But because he is who he is and because I said YES to his marriage proposal almost seven years ago in Antigua, Guatemala... our lives are tracking toward that which is not normal.  Then again, what is normal?  Working the same job for 35-40 years and then retiring?  Is that normal? It was the "norm" a few generations ago.  I am not sure what the norm is or will be for my generation?!  But I see (MORE NOW THEN EVER) that we called to live out something different.  We are not chasing the would be American dream life-style.  We are chasing after the things that would usher in the Kingdom of God and coming Bridegroom... with urgency in our bones.  So I married a trail blazer.  I did not know that six years ago.  But it's exciting to discover that we are on course for a great adventure!

Our pastor says that faith is spelled R-I-S-K

So, here's to MANY more years being married to my best friend.

Baby Shower Pictures!!

Our Baby Shower was AWESOME!

September 11, 2009

Thank you to the hosts and everyone who came to make our big day so special! We look fwd to meeting our little guys in a few more weeks...  now we will be closer to "ready"!

We Love Our Sweet Family!

We Love Our Sweet Friends!

(It's a crazy task to get this many babies and toddlers to sit for a photo!)

Time to cut the YUMMY cake!

Time to Open GIFTS! (They did TOO much!)

We Enjoyed Our Wonderful Shower!

Pregnancy Update - 31 Weeks

31 Weeks

Baby Center Info ~ Your pregnancy: 31 weeks

How your baby's growing:This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges)

and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Average fetal length & weight chart for the month:
30 weeks 15.71 inches 2.91 pounds
31 weeks 16.18 inches 3.31 pounds
32 weeks 16.69 inches 3.75 pounds
33 weeks 17.20 inches 4.23 pounds

He's 25 Months Old!!!

________________HAPPY 25 MONTHS OLD
_________________ September 19th 2009
_____________
I have had a hard time believing that my little guy is really 2 ALREADY! But time keeps moving FAST even when I try very hard to slow it down and soak in each week, each month, each phase.

Month 24 Highlights
- 2nd Birthday and NEMO themed parties
- Loves BLUES CLUES
- Loves PETER PAN (request "Hook")
- Sings songs in every movie now and even does motions on cue
- Can count to 10
- Knows basic shapes
- Learning colors
- Can throw and catch very well
- wearing 2T bottoms and 3T shirts
- 2 year Well Visit (last shots!!)
- Hight: Weight:
- The Dr said he would be at LEAST 6'2 and 195lbs before the end of High School (bast on where he is on the growth charts now) My baby?? I can't think about it!
- Mommy had some pressure down low and had to go to the hospital (but you were asleep and never knew about that) and they said everything was Ok, no labor yet... but it was "labor day weekend"
- Baby Shower for Baby Brother: Sept. 11th
- Daddy was layed off from his job
- We MOVED! Lots of packing and unpacking. We are still getting squared away in our new apartment and preparing for BABY BROTHER
- You and Mama both got Flu shots for the first time


Month 23 Highlights (I'm behind on these from last month)
- Starting to SING songs
- Starting to COUNT (mainly while going up or down stairs)
- Starting to learn Colors and Shapes
- BLUES CLUES is the new thing
- First BEACH TRIP, discovered the sand, the sea, the birds, fish, crabs, and even flying a kite with Daddy! We got to see a real Gator too! Loved Hilton Head!
- Liking the Peter Pan movie, which he calls "no no alligator"
- Talking more and more
- Aunt Katie broke her foot / we did not go to the Zoo
- Getting ready for our 2nd Birthday party (parties)
- Aunt Ellen went back to UA for the Fall semester
- Car wreck (but we were Okay, Thank you Jesus!)

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”- 2 Corinthians 13:14

Our UPDATE

WHERE HAVE I BEEN Blog Friends?

We're moving!!

It's been crazy! God has a plan and a will in all of this. It was a decision made from several very sudden life changes. Our family is together, well, and trusting the Lord. But it has not been easy.
Especially with a NEW BABY on-the-way and my desire to be settled/nest and my heart for my toddler to NOT have everything in his little world changing ALL at once. The dust will settle. The packing and unpacking will happen.
We have had an out pouring of love and support from our church (my parents small group have literally helped pack, brought meals, and helped on moving day! Our new pastor came too!) We are getting our house ready to be "on the market" here in the next week or so... A lot to do! In the mist of all of this I have not really been on the computer.

Thank you for your love and prayers for our family. Just another transition to adjust to, I guess. But we know that God is Good. We know that His plans are FOR GOOD and not for harm. We know that He is forever faithful. We know that one day... when we are past this time... this will all make more since.

Pregnancy Update: 30 Weeks (10 to go)

30 WEEKS

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage).

A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.) (From the Baby Center web e-mail updates.)

MY PREGNANCY UPDATE: I'm 30 weeks along now!
At 29 weeks (over labor day weekend) I began to feel some pressure down low. I was very concerned. It was similar to the what I felt when I was in the earliest stage of labor with my first son. We were about 2 hours from the hospital and the pressure had been steady for about an hour. I knew that it was not actually contractions yet, but I was still a little worried. So... we called. The person on-call was our mid-wife (who also goes to our church and is so sweet). I was emotional over the phone, saying, "I'm only 29 weeks..." She talked thru a few things that can cause this... dehydration, a bladder infection, stress, or actual early labor. She said it was BEST to come on in and get check out. We drove to the hospital late on a Sunday night. They can check the proteins in the fluid (near the cervix) to be sure that you are not in early labor. All of my test results were good that night. The baby's heart beat was good and they did a sonogram to make sure that the cord was not around his neck or anything else. I did not have a bladder infection and I was well hydrated. Diagnoses: STRESS related. Now I've been on Modified best-rest... while moving and being Mommy to my 2 yr old son!?!?!? Not sure how all of that goes together.
I went back to my OB on Thursday, Sept. 10 and he double checked everything. All tests results looks fine.

The cervix was/is still closed. We got to do another sonogram (I've posted some of the 3D/4D pictures below!) He said the same thing, "you need to take it easy" He told me to be the director of the move and not to actually move boxes. I did try to be very careful. I do not want to have my sweet baby too early, and especially not to be caused my me or my own stress. So I am taking it easy. Trying to rest. And praying for peace over he and i both... that he will be shielded from the stress and uncertainties in my life. But over all, all is well.

3D/4D Sonogram Photos (taken Sept. 10th 2009)

Our Baby Shower

09/09/09 Blog Post

I'm very excited about our BABY SHOWER!
It's coming up on Friday, Sept. 11th. The sweet Mom's in my play group are throwing a luncheon baby shower for me and I can't wait... What a blessing!

play time

a little phone video, taken on his Birthday