Since Sarah asked so nicely...

Here is a picture of me at 35 weeks along. I don't know how much room I have left to stretch, but I guess we will see...

I am blessed

Wow it’s been a long time since I last posted. I think it’s because so much is happening around me and so much is going on emotionally in me that I can’t possibly express it easily.

Joel and I are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our boy. Joel is so cute, some days his is absolutely giddy with the wonder and joy of it. We still don’t have a name, but have decided to take a list of names we like with us to the hospital and see if looking at him makes the name choice any easier.

The last week and a half I’ve been put on rest because I am having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions along with some “real” contractions and a bit of cramping. The doctor is not worried even if our boy decided to enter the world now, but told me to rest until he reaches 35 weeks. I’m so glad that I was able to quit working at the beginning of the month (thank you God for blessing Joel with a raise) so I didn’t inconvenience an employer with my sudden need to not work.

I’m glad that my restrictions are up on Friday because Joel and I are going to a bed and breakfast in Portland this weekend to celebrate our 4^th wedding anniversary. My how the time has flown! I feel so blessed by our marriage and having Joel for my best friend. We are planning on going to a McMinnamins to hear some local musicians and going to the park where Joel proposed and just spending some quiet time together (no cell phones) before our little family brings in a new member. Hopefully our son will allow us to have this last trip alone together, but if he decides to interrupt we will be close to the hospital we chose to deliver at.

I am also very excited as my sister Alonna is due at any time now that she has reached the 38 week mark and I’m eager for the day when we get a call and Alonna and Dan get to introduce us to the little girl God has given them.

I have also been having a wonderful learning time with God. I’ve been reminded over and over of how great He is, remembering more of His character, and feeling the emphasis on love Him first above everything, and everything else will fall into place. I think this is so important to me right now facing such a big change in my life and being concerned about being the person and parent God wants me to be. I easily get bogged down in how huge it all is and how easy it is to make mistakes (over active conscience lady here) but it is such a blessing to know that if I can make my foundation God and center my world on Him that He will guide me through it all. How is it that the God of the universe who holds EVERYTHING together even notices me? How humbling that is. I pray that I can honor Him with my life.

Decorating

This year, thanks to a generous donation, we got to put up Christmas lights on our house for the first time. My parents wanted new lights after at least ten years of the same multicolored strands so they gave them to us. Another wonderful donation to our family was a free noble tree from Joel's coworker. I know to my parents and Nick it is not a big deal, but to us it is just so nice to have these visual reminders of the season we are celebrating without the cost.

To accommodate the request for a belly picture I decided to pose for a picture in front of the before mentioned Christmas tree. Both Alonna and my doctor tell me a significant baby belly growth spurt is just around the corner so I will try to show the progress.

It's a boy!

We had our ultrasound yesterday and now that family has been told I can openly say Joel and I are having a son! Being able to see our little boy was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, if not the most beautiful. It's amazing what they can see using sound waves. We watched as the baby moved and the tech showed us his heart and pointed out all the chambers. We looked at his little fingers and toes and watched his arms and legs work. I was strongly reminded of Psalm 139 talking about how we are knit together and are fearfully and wonderfully made. I know people are pregnant and having children every day, but it seems like such a miracle, even if it is common.
Also within the last week I have been able to confidently say I can feel the baby moving. I'm not sure about every kick yet, but there are times when he seems to roll over, and that is nothing I've ever felt before, so I know it's him.
During the Christmas season it is natural to think with thankfulness about all that God has done for us and this year the blessings are too numerous to count.

16 weeks!

Well it's been awhile since I last updated my blog so I thought since I had my 16 week checkup today it would be a good time to do that. I saw my normal doctor for the second time this pregnancy (since I was with a specialist the first 9 weeks) and she is the nicest doctor I've ever met. It has been a real blessing to have a doctor that takes all the time you need to talk and ask questions and is so friendly. She used the doppler to get the heartbeat and was pleased with the heart rate, and it was so heartwarming to hear. The baby was very active and the doctor told us when she would hear the movements on the doppler.

It's funny to watch my expanding belly. There is a noticeable difference between what I look like now and a month ago and I've only gained a pound so I know its all baby. Everything is moving up and out, and because of my short torso I'll probably carry the baby like I have a basketball under my shirt.

I'm getting a lot more excited as time goes by. I've successfully gotten off of the progesterone and aspirin and I'm now down to regular prenatal vitamins!

I’m looking forward to our ultrasound in 2 and 1/2 weeks when we get to find out the sex of the baby and see how much our baby has grown and changed since we last saw them. So far Joel thinks the baby is a girl and my aunt and 3 of my friends say it's a boy. I personally have no leanings, but will admit that since so many insist that it's a boy my stubbornness wants to resist. We will soon find out who is right anyway.

Since I am down to working only at the daycare I’ve been able to take it easy and rest as much as I need because I only have to get up early twice a week. I know this won’t be true with future pregnancies since I will have to care for our child so I’m enjoying this time around as much as possible.

I know my blogs lately have been very baby centered, but that’s what I am right now so I guess it’s appropriate. Honestly my brain has been half asleep for several months now so I don’t keep on one train of thought for long unless it is baby related anyway. Well, I’m done for now ‘cause I’m hungry again.

9 1/2 week ultrasound

The ultrasound went well today. The baby is measuring within the normal range, there was a good heartbeat, and the baby was very active for some of the time. Joel said when he saw the baby move around he fell in love. My husband is so cute.

If you aren't used to reading ultrasounds I'll tell you what you are looking at. The baby is inside of the black bean shaped sack, and the small white dot inside is the yolk sack. The bigger, rounder portion of the baby is the head and little buds coming off of the body are the arms and legs. Because of the oversized head and the short round limbs this has been called the "teddy bear stage" by some.

It is so encouraging to be doing so well at this stage since we have never made it this far in a pregnancy before. I am very hopeful and I get excited now when I go by a baby section in a store and see all of the tiny clothes.

For those of you who have been praying for us thank you, and your continued prayer touches us. A specific request I have now is that the Dr. is taking me off of the progesterone starting Saturday and this is scary to me since everything has been going so well with it and I don't want that to change. Again I will just have to trust God and give it to Him in prayer, but it's nice to know that others will be bringing it before God too.

Sigh, I'm happy.

Dog kisses as answered prayer

I went to the vet today for Lucy, our ever itchy allergic infection dog. Anyone who says mutts have less health problems than purebreds has not met Lucy. I was standing there navigating the world of what meds does the dog really need and what is the vet just trying to get more for when a couple came in with their cat that they were putting down. This made me sad. But as I was sitting waiting for Lucy to be brought out after her shot the man came out of the back room where they had taken the cat and sat down and cried. My heart just ached for him, and it was very difficult to keep my pregnant self from crying along with him. I started to pray for the man to be comforted and asked God if I should say I was sorry for his loss or something when Lucy was brought out. The man looked up at her and laughed and said something about how cute she was and Lucy went directly for him and started kissing his face. I was beet red by the time I got her under control, but he just laughed and patted her on the head. As we left I felt that God had already comforted this man with dog kisses and anything I said wouldn't be as affective, so I just smiled and commented that I hoped she wasn't a bother and took my kissing dog home. Sometimes answers to prayer come in strange packages!