Our Baby Boy

This is our little guy in 3D. Isn't he so handsome? I love his flat nose, full lips, knobby chin and full hair line. He is precious and I am so in love with him.

Here is a picture of his nose and lips, and I think that is his little knobby chin again. It is a really up close view. The arrows point to the bottom of his nose with his lips to the left and then his chin. You cannot see anything else on his face due to other things in the way.

We counted them, 5 toes. The arrow is pointing to his pinkie toe. His other foot is up against his heal so you can really only see half of his foot. Looks like he has his dad's big feet and you know what that means......big shoes. ;)

And here is a shot of his hair. The arrow is pointing to the fuzz that was very obvious. The ultrasound technician said he has lots of long hair that was very visible in the images we were seeing.

Seeing him has made me even more anxious and excited to meet him. He looks so perfect. I can't wait to have him a part of our life and be his mom. He is going to get so much love and we are going to have such a wonderful family. See you soon little man!

Fat and Happy

Our little boy is just fine. In fact, he is measuring ahead of schedule. Just like I expected. How can a big strong girl like me have a small baby? Just didn't make sense. According to the measurements he is a big boy, weighing in at about 5 pounds, 10 oz. Oh, and yes, he is still a boy. We saw confirmation of that again today. So cute! Amniotic fluid is sufficient. He is head down, body on the left and feet on the right confirming that his feet are up under my ribcage on the right side. We were able to see bones as she took measurements. We counted 5 toes on one foot as she measured it. We saw his organs including his heart, liver, kidney, and stomach all in good working order. He was breathing amniotic fluid in and out of his nose and we could see him swallowing. His eyes were closed the whole time but we did get a beautiful view of his flat asian nose and big full lips. He has a full head of hair. The ultrasound technician commented on how much hair he has and how long it is. I am going to guess he got that from me! :) Towards the end of the exam she switched over to the 3D ultrasound machine and we got to see our handsome little man in all his glory. He is so cute. I feel like I know him. The 3D machine was amazing. We were so amazed at the features we could see in such detail. His face was smashed up against the placenta so she had a hard time getting a picture to come out well but after a little work she was able to give us a clear shot of his handsome face. Again, it is hard to find words to describe seeing your baby's face for the first time. And not just an ultrasound picture but one with details that show how he really looks. I am so thankful for the chance to see him again today. In some ways I am glad I measured small and had the opportunity to take a peak at him again. And in some ways I would rather avoid the worries and just have a normal, uneventful pregnancy. I feel so blessed that everything went so well today and that we got to experience seeing him again, together. I appreciate that my doctors are attentive and cautious. Like I always say, better to be safe than sorry.

I will try to get some of the ultrasound pictures up here tomorrow. It's a little late and I am pretty tired. It was a long but good day. Thanks to all who called to check in with me today and for everyone who kept us in their prayers.

Today's Doctor's Appointment

My appointment this morning wasn't as uneventful as I had hoped. I haven't gained any weight in over 2 weeks since my last appointment. My uterus is measuring small, about 3 weeks behind schedule. And of course, I don't "look" 34 weeks pregnant. Everyone notices that and makes sure to let me know. The first thing the nurse said to me today was, you aren't really 34 weeks pregnant are you? I said, everyone says that. Then she weighed me and said I hadn't gained anything since my last appointment. She commented that it was odd but that the doctor would address it when I saw her.

My blood pressure was fine, and his heartbeat was strong at 145. I saw Dr. Bennett today, my favorite doctor at my practice, and I am glad I did because I needed the encouragement. She was a little concerned that the baby was developing a little behind schedule. At my last appointment they said I was on the low end of the weight gain scale but that they were not worried about it yet. But this week they decided an ultrasound would be helpful to see how he is doing. They said I should have at least gained something since the baby would have grown about a pound himself over the last couple of weeks, not to mention my own weight gain.

I am not that worried though. In my heart I am pretty sure everything is ok. I have always thought it was weird that I haven't gained much weight and that I look so small, except for my cheeks, since I have never been a small woman. I eat massive amounts of food and don't exercise due to the contractions and cramping that results from any activity that I do. I think my tummy looks small because I have a long torso and am tall. I don't know why I am not gaining weight, that is the thing I am probably most confused about. And I don't think my uterine measurement is that off schedule to be cause for too much concern. So, I have an ultrasound tomorrow at 11:30am to confirm that everything is ok. And most likely things are just fine. But...there is some reason for concern otherwise they wouldn't be doing an ultrasound tomorrow and that makes me a little worried. If my doctor is a little worried then I am too. P. is going to go with me. And I will update my blog after we find out how things look. Pray for us. I just hope he is healthy and his development is fine, just a little smaller than normal.

Lake Michigan

P. and I visited Lake Michigan Sunday to check out the frozen wave phenomenon. Glad we did because it was pretty cool. When it gets cold enough the lake freezes along with the waves. You can walk out on the ice and even climb the waves. It is hard to imagine that we will be laying out at the same beach in a few months and swimming in the same water we were walking on. As you can see in the picture below, the frozen wave is taller than I am.

34 Weeks & A Car Seat

We bought a car seat today. Actually it is one of those travel systems with the infant car seat that locks into the matching stroller. It was a gift from my parents for the baby, call it an early baby shower gift. P. set it up tonight and it looks really nice. It will take some getting used to but I am sure after a week or so it will be like second nature. One more step closer to being baby ready!

Today is 34 weeks! I have an appointment this week on Wednesday but I don't think I will have much to report. Some weight gain, heart rate. At the next appointment though I think I will have a Strep test and they will do my first cervical exam to see if I am starting to dilate. Geez.

The week 34 email update for this week says our guy is about 4 and 3/4 lbs now. About the size of a cantalope. And he is about 18 inches long. Good thing I have a long torso to accommodate his length. I am feeling good. Getting tired though. Fatigue I guess from not sleeping well and general 3rd trimester exhaustion. Our boy has been moving like crazy all day. Full tummy rolls, flips and flops.

I had to break down this past weekend and buy some pants. I grew out of my mediums and everything was so tight and uncomfortable. I was living in my one pair of black drawstring pants. Larges are too big but they are better than nothing and I am happy for the extra room, They are not the sexiest things in the world but sexy is not in my pregnancy vocabulary.

Well, time for bed. Not sure baby is going to settle down enough for me to get some sleep though. Wonder why he is so active tonight?

Baby Shower

I wanted something cute and new for the baby shower next Sunday. P. and I found this dress on sale at Motherhood last night. It wasn't my favorite on the rack. I was looking for something with more color and a little more modern but once I put it on it was so comfortable and for under $10 I couldn't pass it up. Now, I know it is still winter and dresses don't quite provide the warmth needed for an early March party but I figured I was going to be inside not hiking through the snow. Guess I will have to give in and shave my legs for this. :)

I am really excited for the shower. I tried not to send out many invites to those not in the area because I knew people wouldn't be able to attend and didn't want anyone to feel obligated or bad they couldn't come. It's hard being so far away from family and friends at this exciting time. It's hard to imagine your first baby shower without your mom, your sister-in-law and your best friend. But I have come to accept my situation and truly am thankful for the wonderful friends I have made here. It is going to be a beautiful shower. I have a pretty new dress. There are going to be games and good food. It will be such a good time celebrating the upcoming arrival of our little man with the people God has blessed me with here in Grand Rapids. And to top it all off my friend E. is flying in from Colorado to attend. I am so excited to see her and spend the weekend just being with her again. I have been to a few baby showers in my life and it is really neat to be one week away from my own. How fun! :)

Nothing Imparticular

I can't sleep because my hips are killing me. So, when all else fails, blog. My exhaustion will eventually get the most of the pain.

I will start with an update on my baby Abby. This has been a rough winter for my girl. I don't exactly know what is wrong with her and either does my Vet. He hopes she is just in a mid-winter rut like the rest of us but I am a little worried it is more than that. Ever since about Christmas she has become more and more nervous, anxious and well....weird. She is timid and scared of any quick movements or noises. She rarely moves from her chair and I really have to persuade her to get up from it, even for a treat. She obsessively chews and licks her paws and frequently acts like she is hurt though nothing has happened to her. It is the strangest thing and I am really worried about her. My doctor gave us some medicine to treat anxiety and senility but since I started giving it to her 2 days ago she has stopped eating and we can't have that. She paces around the house at night without purpose and never really seems to calm down or relax. This is so unlike Abby. Anyone that knows this dog knows she is the "top dog". She is the dominant one, always wanting to know what is going on and to be a part of it. She is never afraid of anything. Always on guard ready to protect and defend. She loves to eat, loves to be around you or on you and is always in control. I just want my dog back. I am desperate for an answer and for her to snap out of this. I am especially concerned with the baby on the way. I pray spring and warmer temps will help. I pray it is nothing serious and Abby will come back to us soon. Here is a picture of her and Serra. As you can tell from this picture she is unsure and nervous about me taking the picture. I am already a mom and Abby is my baby and it is so hard to not be able to figure out what is wrong with my child and help her.

What to do about a name? I never, ever thought finding a name for our baby boy would be so hard. This truly is one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. Ok, that sounds really funny but it is true. It just has to be perfect. No going back. And for me deciding what to order off a menu at a restaurant for dinner is a hard decision, you can imagine how agonizing this is for me. There is not one name right now that I love. Not one name that sounds like even a remote possibility. I would love to have a name and start connecting with him as that person. I would love to choose the name and feel totally confident and sure it is the right name for him. I am totally shocked this is that hard for me. Totally. I want something unique but not too weird. I want something classic but not boring. I want something not on the popular list but that still sounds good. I don't want there to be other boys in his class named the same thing. I want people to say, "Wow, that is a different name but very cool and fitting of your son." And of course it has to sound good with our last name....not an easy feat. So, that is where we stand. Poor P. having to put up with me. He likes just about any name you throw out there. But I know the perfect name is out there and I am determined to find it.

Well, I better try to get some sleep. Pray for my dog if you can. And my hips. I used to always wonder how I was going to get a baby out through my hips, now I know. They painfully widen. Have a nice weekend! No snow in the forecast for us until Monday, what a nice treat. We plan to visit Lake MI Sunday and check out the frozen water phenomenon. Should be pretty neat and I will make sure to try to get a photo or two up after. Goodnight.

33 Weeks!

I heard something on the news today that was pretty shocking, and then at the same time I am not at all surprised. They said that this is the snowiest Dec-Feb in Grand Rapids, MI history. Meaning we have received more snow in the past 3 months than we ever have, ever, in that 3 month time span. And after tonight we will have broken the record for the most snowfall in the month of Feb and it is only Feb 19th. How do I feel about this information? Like I said, I am not at all shocked. All my complaining feels justified now. I am upset I had to live here during this time to experience it. It makes me wonder what I am doing here but at the same time it is a relief to know this isn't normal and if I am stuck here for another winter it most likely won't be this bad again. Or maybe it will. Whatever the case, this record breaking winter has been ridiculous and I am done with it. Enough is enough.

Ok, enough about the weather......there are much better things to talk about. Like babies. And ice-cream. And the fact that we are one week closer to meeting our baby boy. Yesterday was 33 weeks exactly. I finally kicked my cold. And this morning I reached a new level of excitement regarding the arrival of our baby. I woke up completely ready to be a mom. I was excited, emotional and felt both mentally and physically prepared to bring him into our world. My arms ache to hold him and my eyes long to see him for the first time. And I am not just feeling this because I am uncomfortable and just want him out of me. I am totally intoxicated with the idea of having our baby.

Despite all the excitement I have to admit things are getting pretty rough. My little guy's foot remains tucked under my rib cage and I have come to the realization that it just might be there for the remainder of the time. I am feeling fat and ugly. As you can tell from this week's picture that I am gaining weight, like I should be, but for a woman that is always hard to accept. I show my weight gain in my cheeks, always have, and when they get big it is hard to talk, smile, and yes, see. Don't laugh. It's uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, that's me.......

Now on to a few other topics close to my heart.....$1 Scoop Night at Baskin Robbins. P. takes me out in sub-zero temperatures for delicious frozen treats most Tuesday nights. We were supposed to attend a breast feeding class tonight at the hospital but it was cancelled due to snow, imagine that. But we braved the cold and road conditions for dessert. Gotta do what you gotta do.

The emails for week 33 don't say much except that he is about 4 lbs and around 17 inches long. They remind you of your aches and pains and say to watch for signs of pre-term labor. The activity for the week is to wash your baby clothes and blankets but I have done that as we have aquired things so we are all set on that. So, we are plugging along. Lot's on my mind lately so stay tuned for more blabbering... :)

Welcome Kate!

My best friend K. had her baby girl yesterday via c-section! Everything went smoothly and Kate was born at 7:45am weighing 7 lbs 15 ozs. I am so thankful for her safe arrival and that K. is doing well and recovering nicely. I only wish I was closer to meet the beautiful little girl and spend time with my closest friend. Congratulations to all!

Week 32

Monday I had my 32 week appointment. Almost a week later I am finally getting around to blogging about it. I gained another 3 lbs in a matter of 2 weeks. Total weight gain as of this week is 16 lbs. My doctor said I was on the low end of the weight gain scale but that she wasn't worried about it. Amazing because I feel so huge.....and fat. His heart rate was 138, quite a bit slower than usual but the nurse just said he was relaxing or something. He is in the right position, head down, legs up. The doctor felt for his head and found it in my lower stomach. It was a relief after hearing my best friend's baby girl was breech and a c-section was scheduled for her delivery. All week I have been feeling our little guy's hiccups way down in my lower stomach and kicks up in my ribs. As I write I have a little foot stuck up against a rib making it very hard to concentrate. I am hoping he will move soon though I am not expecting much since it has been there for about 5 hours now. The doctor said everything is going well and on schedule.

Tuesday I came down with a cold and have been fighting it all week. It is my second cold of the year and by far the worst I have had in a long time. I am thankful to be able to be at home during these times of sickness to care for myself and the baby. It was another cold, snowy week so I spent most of it in bed trying to shake this cold. I meant to get a 32 week picture up of me but will try again this next week.

Ok, Ok....

I admit it. Today was pretty. It dumped snow last night and when the sun came out today it was beautiful outside. There was a bright blue sky and a clean layer of undisturbed snow. But that doesn't mean I went out in it, I just admired the beauty from the window......



Oh, and check out this Dr Pepper can we found at a gas station in Indiana. So cool. We bought a six pack and I am going to keep one unopened.

Picture

Here is a picture of me taken last week. P. thought it was such a good respresentation of me and my pregnancy. I am on the couch, in a shirt that is too short, with my growing belly hanging out, with the t.v. remote in my hand. That's me.

Reba & Kelly

P. and I went to Indianapolis this past weekend to see Reba and Kelly in concert. We left Friday around noon and for a while there I was nervous we were not going to make it by start of the show at 8pm. We hit two major traffic jams and stopped 4 times for me to empty my bladder. But we knew we were out of Michigan as soon as we saw the blue skies of Indiana. It was amazing the almost instant change in weather as soon as we crossed the state line. We made it to the hotel in time to check in, check out the free happy hour in the restaurant and walk down to the concert. By the time we got there, got a burger and found our seats the concert started with Melissa Peterman as the opening act. She is a comedian that played Reba's "best friend" on the show Reba. She was

pretty hilarious and it was fun to see her in person. Reba and Kelly together were just awesome. They did so many great songs and sounded so good together. The whole concert was captivating and I was wishing it wouldn't end. Reba looked awesome and sounded as perfect as always. Kelly has an amazing voice, American Idol got that one right that's for sure. I just loved the whole evening and when it was over I wanted to drive up to Illinois for the next stop on the tour. Instead we stood in line at the souvenier stand for a dark brown Reba hoodie that I had to have. See picture. What a fun night! Thanks to my wonderful husband for getting me the tickets, taking me to Indiana and buying me my awesome hoodie to remember the whole night by.

The next day we checked out Indianapolis a little bit. The best part of the city was seeing the sun. We hardly see the sun in MI and it was so bright it hurt our eyes. We commented all day about how totally different the weather was but how close we still were to MI. We headed home around 1pm and right about the time we crossed into MI the weather changed, it started to snow and just got worse from there, fast. It took us about 7 hours to get home Sat, a trip that should have taken less than 5. So, all in all, getting to Indiana and getting home was rough. The concert and our time in Indiana were a lot of fun. Check out our pics. Fun, fun.

The Name Simon

We are considering the name Simon. Simon Archer Selinski. What do you think? My friend R. did up a blog for us on the name Simon to help with the decision. I like the name because in the Bible Simon is also known as Peter. They are the same man. So since my husband doesn't like the name Peter I thought Simon was a good substitute. I would love to be able to name our son after his wonderful dad.

Simon: the name

From The Last Word on First Names (1995) by Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran:

"There is an appealing genuineness about this name, perhaps due to phrases like 'simon-pure' and 'Simple Simon.' An Old and New Testament name (Simon was the second son of Jacob and Leah and the original name of St. Peter) that gained an English accent around the time Roger Moore was playing Simon Templar on The Saint then became part of the British invasion of names that hit our shores along with the Beatles and Mary Quant. Simon never reached saturation point here and can still make a stylish and interesting choice. We also like the original form of the name, SIMEON, although we must point out (before someone else does) its similarity to the word meaning apelike."

From The Guinness Book of Names (1974) by Leslie Dunking:

"biblical; Hebrew variant of Simeon, 'Yah has heard', but in Greek Simon is 'snub-nosed'."

From The Baby Name Wizard (2005) by Laura Wattenberg:

"Popularity:#240

Style: Biblical, English, Timeless

Nicknames: Si

Variants: Simeon, Shimon

Sisters: Amelia, Elise, Leah, Lydia, Ivy

Brothers: Julian, Miles, Nolan, Isaac, Graham

♦ The familiar classic Simon has always been well-used in England. In America, it's been heard most in nursery rhymes and children's games. The name is finally getting its due attention in the U.S., and its British aura adds an extra level of handsome charm. Simon stands to be a stylish prize for years to come."

From The Baby Name Personality Survey (1990) by Bruce Lansky and Barry Sinrod:

SIMON: "(Hebrew) 'he who hears'

Image: Simon is described as a strong, well-built man who is either quiet and simple, like Simple Simon, or intelligent and creative, like Paul Simon or Neil Simon.

Famous Simons: the biblical disciple Simon; Simon (Uncle Tom's Cabin) Legree; playwright Neil (Plaza Suite) Simon, musician Paul ("Bridge Over Troubled Water") Simon; TV's "Simon & Simon"; the nursery rhyme "Simple Simon"; the game Simon Says; TV's Simon ("The Saint") Templar.

R.'s take: Simon is uncommon, yet familiar, Biblical but no longer distinctly/solely Jewish (for families concerned about how it "meshes" with WASP-y surnames). It has a certain weight and gravitas. And everyone should know how to spell it and pronounce it. A solid choice.

Thanks R. for the info and input! Fun stuff.

From bibletools.org I found:

Simon (or Simeon) was the original name of Peter, the son of Jonas (or John), and brother of Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptist, as Peter also may have been. A fisherman by occupation, he was an inhabitant of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee, though subsequently he dwelt with his family at Capernaum.

So, that is Simon. Like I said, we are still in the consideration stage. I can see myself still trying to decide on a name while staring at my son's face in the delivery room. It has to be right. It has to be perfect.

Have a great weekend! P. and I are going to a Reba & Kelly Clarkson concert tonight. I CAN NOT wait. I love Reba, love seeing her in concert and am loving the idea of getting out of town for a night to get a change of scenery. I wish the concert was in Florida....oh well, Indiana will do. Love to all my loved ones.

31 Weeks!

31 weeks! We are down to single digit weeks left. The countdown is on! This week, our baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. We can expect him to grow about a half pound every week from here on out. 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. The only major organ that has yet to fully develop is his lungs. Each day they are growing stronger but he needs these next few weeks to be able to breathe on his own after his birth. Their suggested activity for this week is to make a list of items to bring to the hospital. You mean I have to start thinking about the trip to the hospital?

I am doing pretty well. Hips are pretty achy and it’s getting really hard to breathe. But overall I am feeling good. I know it could be worse, and is going to get worse, but for now I am thankful for my situation. I am getting really excited to meet our little guy though. I am ready for him to be a part of our life and our family. But....I am starting to get nervous about the pain of labor and delivery. Do I have any idea of what I am in for?

We are in for another huge snowstorm tonight and tomorrow. Pray for my sanity. Love to all of you.

Super Bowl

P. and I went to the best Super Bowl Party ever. It was at our church and they didn't miss a beat. We didn't have anything else to do so I thought we would go check it out for the first half or so. Boy am I glad we did. It was so much fun! The best part of it for me was all the food. A hungry pregnant woman's dream come true. Heaven on earth for an expecting mom.

We arrived just before kick-off with our Sara Lee raspberry pie in hand and walked into a REAL Super Bowl party. The first thing I noticed was all the food. There were about 9 huge tables full of party foods. Subway subs, pizza sticks, nachos, chili, cornbread, chips, salsa, popcorn, meats, cheeses, 7 layer dip, popcorn, and desserts galore. Any dessert you could want. They had a keg of root beer, frozen drinks, soda, and hot chocolate. I ate, and ate......and ate. I was so happy.

They decked out the place with balloons, streamers, wall hangings, and tons of Patriots and Giants stuff. They had games, drawings, and cool giveaways. We didn't win anything but that's ok. The games for the kids were so awesome. What a great place to take your family for the big game. They had a Wii, Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, Ping Pong, Dodge Ball, Air Hockey, football throwing game, punting game, and then the normal church building entertainment/game room open. The game was projected on the screen like the slides during a service and P. and I sat at a high bar table and watched what I thought was one of the best Super Bowl games since the 49ers last won. I really wasn't that excited about the game and thought for sure the Patriots would win, big. The game came down to the last minute and the Giants pulled out an amazing win. It was such a great night. I had so much fun. I can't wait to do it again next year!

A Couple Milestones

1. My "inny" is now an "outie". My belly button has officially popped out.
2. People have finally acknowledged my pregnant physical state without me telling them. I had two people comment on my pregnancy last week who didn't know me. At 31 weeks I finally look pregnant!

Do I Live in Michigan or Antarctica?

I know my title today sounds a little exaggerated but I am really starting to wonder. This is my third winter here and by far the worst. For over two months now we have had bitter cold temperatures and rarely go more than a day or two before the next snow storm barrels through. I feel cold, I feel agitated, I feel stuck. Our heating bill has skyrocketed and there are days where the heat never shuts off just to keep the house at 66 degrees. There are other days that I cannot make it down or back up our driveway due to the snow and ice and the roads are consistently slick and dangerous. Your life revolves around the weather. You start to plan your errands around the days where there is a short break from the conditions. It's too cold for the dogs. They are lethargic, grouchy and only go outside when absolutely necessary to relieve themselves and even then they take 2 steps out the doggie door, pee and hurry back in to their warm bed. When you live in a place like this the weather truly affects your mood, your safety, your schedule, your state of mind, your life. Today is February 1st. We can expect another 2 months of cold weather. Not as cold, hopefully, but cold. It is depressing really. I am not saying I am depressed but I can feel my happiness waning. Winter, especially this winter, is sucking the life out of me.

I have a lot of feelings and emotions regarding my life here in MI. I love my husband and I will go wherever he goes. I love our acre of land and all our trees. I love MI summers and the lakes. I love my one incredibly close friend here. P. loves his job. But there are a lot of things about MI that we struggle with. The first is that K. is no longer here and she is the reason we moved here. The winters are so cold, snowy, gloomy and unrelenting. The economy is horrible. The property taxes are outrageous. It has been so hard for us to find good friends and even harder for me to find a good job. I am so much farther away from my family. And lastly, it is extremely hard and costly for us to take care of our CO rentals from so far away.

P.'s recent trip to CO has made us consider a move. It has always been in the back of our minds. We go back and forth on the pros and cons of living in MI, living in CO, living somewhere else out west. Should we stay, should we go, if so, where? Can we make a move? What should the timing be with a new baby on the way? Will our house sell here? Will P. find another good job like he has here? Will we miss our land, trees, all the water and the summers here? Do we want to live back in a big town or do we want to go to a smaller city? How will this move affect K.?

What is the answer? We don't know. I pray about it every day. I think about it constantly. But I have to keep in mind, we are mid-winter. MSNBC reports Jan 24th as the most depressing day of the year because the mid-winter weather is wearing you down, you are broke from the holidays (or in our case from maintaining our rentals), you have broken your new year's resolutions already, and you feel like you have nothing to look forward to. The article says this is when most people book a tropical vacation to somewhere warm to give themselves something to look forward to and help them survive the remainder of winter.

But boy do things turn around quickly at the first signs of spring here. It's like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. MI is so beautiful in the spring and summer. We had such a wonderful summer last year camping, going to the lake, picking fresh fruit, fishing, and touring MI. MI has summers that you see in movies. Kids playing in the lake, sitting on the dock, strolls along the "beach", lake cottage getaways, naps in the hammock. It's truly wonderful. And even fall is quite enjoyable here. The leaves change to beautiful colors and the weather is still comfortable. Are the summers worth putting up with the winters? I don't know. Today I would say no.

So, what to do? All I can do is look outside and admit that it is pretty. I can be thankful I don't HAVE to go out in it. I can watch a movie, have some hot chocolate, turn the heat up and accept this is my home. For now.....

P. and I will have a nice quiet dinner at home tonight. Tomorrow we are going to a Christian parenting conference put on by P.'s employer. And tomorrow night we go to church. Sunday P. is playing football with some guys at work and then we will go to a Super Bowl Party at church. Life is good with P. I would rather be here in MI married to him than anywhere else in the world without him. And soon it will be spring, and our baby boy will arrive, and summer will come, and K. will visit and winter will be a distant memory. But for now, here is a picture of our reality.

30 Weeks!

30 weeks today! 3/4 of the way done! They say the next 10 or so weeks until the baby comes are the longest of your life. You can't sleep, are uncomfortable all the time, pee constantly, have gas and constipation, you swell and have mood swings on a daily basis. All these symptoms combine to cause time to creep by. Sounds like fun! I think the worst of it right now is the lack of sleep. I am uncomfortable from the time I lay down until the time I get up. I toss and turn all night and to tell you the truth, I dread bedtime. My hips hurt and no amount of pillows help. Week 30 has been more of the same for me. Contractions come about every hour, I pee about the same, every hour, I have terrible, ridiculous gas but no constipation, no swelling and the mood swings are not too bad. With a little more sleep I don't know that there would be any. But you can ask P. if that is true or not..... So, all in all, things are going pretty well. Could be worse, that is for sure. I feel healthy and not as miserable as they say I might be feeling. There are some issues that are quite annoying but I really can't complain. I am happy with my weight, my size and my progress. I am happy to be at 30 weeks. Over the next few weeks I plan to get serious about finding a name, spend some time on the nursery, finding a car seat and stroller, "spring cleaning" the house and basement, making meals to freeze and getting these classes at the hospital done.

My sweet friends J. and T. here in Grand Rapids are planning a baby shower for me. It will be Sunday, March 2nd. I know most to all of my friends and family in California and Colorado will not be able to attend and that makes me sad. But I have made a couple wonderful friends here in MI and we plan on having a party anyway to celebrate the upcoming arrival of our little guy. It's a good excuse to eat some cake and stare at my belly and I never mind that.

They say our baby is about 15.5 inches long now, and he weighs about 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). The emails this week basically tell you that you are feeling uncomfortable and some ways to cope with the symptoms. Oh, and his eyesight is getting better and stronger but that when he is born he will only be able to see a few inches from his face so to get down close to him for a while. His teeth are formed under his gums already. I had my 30 week appointment today and everything looks good. I gained almost 4 pounds in 2 weeks. I am not thrilled about that but they said I am still on track and not to worry. His heart rate was 158 and I could hear it better today than ever before. It was so loud and clear, no swooshing in the background like usual. My uterus was painful to the touch and my doctor said it is probably bruised from his kicking and not to worry. My urine test showed my sugar to be high but again, nothing to worry about and my blood pressure was right where it should be. I am curious when we will start talking about a birth plan or when we will go into more detail about the labor and delivery. I go back again in another 2 weeks so I will ask them then. For now, all is good. The weather here today is warmer and that is a relief. We needed a day of relief. Even if it is just one day.

Here is a picture of my babies this morning curled up together on their favorite chair. They have a bed right next to the chair but they choose to pile on top of each other in the chair instead. Have a great week. I love and miss all of you very much.

29 Weeks!

29 weeks, wow, can you believe it? I am having a hard time believing it myself! Where has the time gone? 29 weeks is for real. Like really real.

My 29th week email updates talk a lot about how his kicks are getting stronger and stronger. Boy am I feeling it. This morning he kicked me so hard I almost lost my breath. I asked him, “What was that all about?” It was another night full of contractions and trips to the bathroom. I am getting pretty groggy from the lack of uninterrupted sleep. Welcome to motherhood huh? The emails say he now weighs a little over 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. His skeleton is hardening each day so I need to make sure to get plenty of calcium for the both of us.

I gave in and had cinnamon rolls today. I had been doing so well staying away from sugar and simple carbs but I just had to have them today. It was snowy and cold outside, I was stuck inside and they just sounded so good. So I made them and ate 6 of the 8 rolls and have been paying for it since. But they were so worth it. I made up for it this afternoon by having some eggs and a piece of whole wheat toast and a smoothie with plain yogurt, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, watermelon and juice for an afternoon snack. Oh, and a cup of milk of course.

Yesterday I registered for prenatal classes at the hospital. P. and I are going to do an all day Saturday Childbirth Preparation Class on March 1st. We will also attend a breastfeeding and an infant CPR class in Feb. I had my next appointment with the doctor on Friday this week but changed it to Monday to get a different doctor. I don't really love any of the doctors at my practice so I think for our next baby I might change offices. God willing of course.....and if I am willing.... :)