My Growing Belly (Part Three)

I'm (and she's) growing!!!!!

Over weeks 20-24, I had a major growth spurt, with a weight gain of 10 pounds! But, just in the past two weeks, I seemed to have slowed down in gaining weight, just as my doctor predicted. But baby is growing and growing, and my latest pictures show it! 

My belly feels so tight, and it is amazing to see how it can grow and stretch. Thankfully, I have no stretch marks (yet). I've been using a ton of Arbonne RE9 cream, which I love and recommend to everyone! 

She has been kicking like crazy, and also moving around. I can feel her shift and move from side to side, up and down. It's pretty fun and entertaining to watch my belly move in all sorts of ways! I love watching and feeling it. I am amazed every time! 

So, here is part three in the series "My Growing Belly."

20 weeks

June 25

132 pounds

 21 weeks

July 2

134 pounds

 July 9

22 weeks

137 pounds

July 16

23 weeks

140 pounds

July 23

24 weeks

142 pounds

(sorry, no picture! I was out of town!)

July 30

25 weeks

142 pounds

Where I Come From

Last week, I flew up to Wisconsin to visit my family. Hubby was in China on a business trip, so instead of sitting at home alone, I hopped on a plane and headed to the land of cheese!

While I was there, my Aunt Missy gave me my first baby shower. Twenty of my closest family and friends celebrated my sweet miracle! It meant so much to have each and every one there, they all hold a special place in my heart. I was given so many beautiful things - I feel so loved and blessed! 

Gorgeous roses to celebrate our baby!

Yummy treats! The cupcakes were so pretty. The little sweetheart is my cousin's daughter.

Opening sweet gifts! 

Every card made me cry - I had to stop reading them and read them later!

To my left is my dear friend Lauren and her baby, and my dear sister-in-law Jenelle and her baby! It was so good to spend time with them, talk, and just be together while I was there. 

My gorgeous mom

Lauren and her sweetie

The 24 week belly with my daddy

Aunt Missy - thank you so much for a wonderful shower!

Beautiful gifts...

During my visit, I was able to spend some much needed time with my family. My niece and nephews have grown so much since Christmas, and I was so excited to see them. 

My nephew Chase. He is one of the sweetest little boys.

My brother Ben with our newest nephew, Emry

And my niece, Ava. I got spend so much time with her because I got to watch her during the days! Since being home, I feel like I'm going through Ava-withdrawals. :(
She loves her Milwaukee Brewers!!!

I am blessed to be a member of an amazing and loving family. I love how I can see our rich heritage with God as the center, and see how He has blessed all of us. There have been trials, heartache, and pain, but through it all, God has kept us close and been our steady source of strength. We see evidence of His love and faithfulness woven deeply into our family.
I am so thankful for godly parents, who shared with us the greatest gift of all - Jesus.

I think of the testimony of so many things that our family has gone through - health issues, loss of loved ones, sending our dear brother to Iraq, challenges in school, testings of our faith, infertility, miscarriages, and many other things. And through it all,

He has always been faithful.

And now we can pass His love and faithfulness on to the next generation.
Oh, my sweet nephews, nieces, and my own children that are coming and yet to come: How I pray for you every day, that you will come to know Him and His love! I know you will do great things for Him! You are all gifts that have been given to us; you are His, and God has entrusted us to love and care for you! It is a responsibility that I do not take lightly, but prayerfully! How I pray for God to use you greatly and do a magnificent work in your lives! 

 To God be the glory!

Six Months

If I could sum up in two words how I am feeling today, it would be

SLOW DOWN!

I had my 24 week appointment today. Yes, that is 6 months!
(technically I will be 24 weeks on Wednesday.)

I truly am loving being pregnant. I love every moment, everything about it. But it is going by too fast! I just feel that I am going to blink my eye, and we will be delivering at the hospital. Then I blink again, and our sweet girl will be off to kindergarten. Time flying by, especially with the pregnancy, reminds me of the verse in the Bible where it says that we are but a vapor, a moment. Lord, help me to use my time wisely and really soak in every moment, and never wish time to pass, or go quickly.

All of my vitals and stats looked great, once again, and I am so thankful. I did gain 10 pounds since my last appointment (10 pounds in four weeks, WOW!), but the doctor was not concerned at all. He said that since I was underweight to begin with, this is very good and normal, especially during the sixth month. So, my weight gain to date is 20 pounds, which puts me at 142 pounds. Where is it all going? I don't feel 20 pounds heavier, and I am carrying a small belly. But, I have noticed that my butt and thighs seem to be expanding, especially when I put on pants. And speaking of that, none of my bottoms fit anymore. I have officially made the switch to maternity clothes. I am much more comfortable when I wear them too. 

I was delighted when they pulled out the doppler, because I did not know we were going to listen at this appointment. So, I again heard the most incredible, most beautiful sound in the world - her heartbeat. It was easy to find, loud and clear, and most definitely strong, beating in the 150s. 

Sadly, Michael was not able to join me at this appointment. He has never missed an appointment, and has no intentions of missing any. But, a business trip to Shanghai kind of got in the way. So, I had to be a big girl and go on my own. But, we have a skype date tonight so I can fill him in on all of the details.

We signed up for all of our classes at the hospitals - prepared childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn parenting. Our Monday nights for the next 2 and a half months will be learning all there is to learn! I am so excited about these classes, and I know Michael is too. I'm positive we will learn a lot. 

I have my first shower on Thursday! I am so excited! It will be mostly family, and my dear Aunt Missy, who I grew up with and consider a second mother to me, will be throwing it for me. Can't wait!

Six months! I still can't believe it!!

Love to you all...

I've Been Working On The Baby Room...

I've been asked, "What have you been up to the past couple of weeks?" Well, I have been hard at work decorating and putting together the baby room. I had decided a long time ago that I did not want to go with a pink or blue theme based on the gender of the baby, so after much thought, I came up with: animal print theme with lime green and dark brown as my two colors. And I absolutely love it. I was able to do most things affordably, with purchases from Hobby Lobby, Ikea, Home Depot, Ross, and Target. Most of those purchases were made with coupons or were from the clearance section! Our splurge was the crib and bedding from Storkland. But, we made up for it by making the curtains and comforter ourselves!

So cute! I just love it.
Putting up all the different circles was a three hour long project, but it was really fun to just randomly put them up and discover that random really does work (when it comes to decor like that!)

I am so proud of myself - with my mom and mom-in-law's help, I made the curtains!!!

Blanket on chair from Bed Bath and Beyond, pillow from Hobby Lobby, curtain rod from Ross, curtain fabric from JoAnn, wall dots from Home Depot.

Changing table from Ikea, it just needs a changing pad. The mirror is also from Ikea. Aren't the safari animals cute? I found them at Hobby Lobby. I got the cubby drawers from Home Depot and the rug from Ross.

 Dresser from Ikea, lamp from Target

The comforter that we (me, my mom, my mom-in-law) made! The green side is organic cotton and the brown side is a soft, lightweight fleece. And the border is silky! I can't wait to snuggle under it with our little girl, and I'm sure she will enjoy it in her crib! 

Now in about 18 weeks, a baby will actually be able to enjoy this room! Decorating it was incredible. As I was working on it, I reflected back to the times that I would just stand in this empty and waiting room, and weep. There were times where I was face down on the floor of the room, crying out to God to give us a child. I will never forget those moments, those years. If you are facing infertility, or a similar situation, know that I pray for you every day. You are on my heart, my mind, and always will be.

My Growing Belly (Part Two)

In my 16 week appointment, Dr. Sontag told me that I should notice huge changes in my body between weeks 18 and 20. And yes, I have noticed large changes, good changes! I gained about 8 pounds in three weeks, and I have now gained 10 pounds total. Yay!!! I finally look pregnant now to the rest of the world!!! I've been soaking up every time someone, including a lot of strangers, inquires about the pregnancy. And, Baby girl has been very active because she is so busy growing!! I'm feeling her kicks and movements more and more throughout the day, and Michael is just loving feeling her move. He adores her already. 

So, here is part two in the series "My Growing Belly."

16 weeks
May 28

124 pounds, my first two pound of weight gain during this week

17 weeks
June 4

126 pounds

18 weeks
June 11

128 pounds

19 weeks
June 18

132 pounds

I popped! Just in one week, look at the difference from week 18! Incredible!!

20 weeks
June 25

132 pounds

The Half-Way Mark, And It's A....

I am now 20 weeks, which means I am halfway through the pregnancy!!! I can't believe how fast it has gone, and I know that the second half will only go faster. I am soaking up every day of this pregnancy, every moment, every milestone, and every simple thing.

It was Michael's first Father's Day as a father to our baby! I have always viewed him as a father and example to so many. I always said, especially in the thick of our infertility, that he would always be a father to many, even if we would have no children of our own. But this year brought much celebration, different celebration. He has been a father to many, and now he is a father to ours. The sweetest moment of that day was when Isaak ran to me at church and gave me a hug and huge kiss and said "Happy Father's Day!" It brought tears to my eyes. He  ran to Michael and said the same thing. Then he looked at me with those huge blueberry eyes and said "I love ZahZoo!" (Zahzoo is the nickname that he calls me.) No matter what, no matter how many children I may have, that sweet boy will always hold a special place in my heart.

On Monday, we had our big appointment - THE ultrasound. I was so excited to find out the sex, but equally excited to be able to see our baby again and all of the changes. We have not seen our baby since our 8 week ultrasound, so I knew I was in for some awesome things. 

Michael and I went in together to the ultrasound room, where the nurse started with looking at the head and the brain. She worked down, examining the heart, the stomach, the lungs, arms, legs, and then finally asked, "Do you want to know what you are having?" And yes, we definitely did!

We are having a...............

GIRL!!!

"Our Gift From God"

I of course cried a little, (actually a lot), and stared in amazement at the screen as I watched our baby. A little girl. Our little girl. I am blessed beyond measure. 

Michael and I shared sweet moments together as we looked at our beautiful baby girl, and took in every moment. We then were able to get the full view of our baby, that popular profile view. I could see her ears, eyes, nose, chin, beating heart. She kept her little hand up by her face the entire time, showing off each finger. We watched in amazement as she moved her arms and legs. She opened and closed her mouth, telling us a sweet story. 

Michael went back into the waiting room to get my parents and his mom so they could see baby and find out that she was a girl! They were amazed, too. There were tears and excitement as we told them that the baby is a girl, and they stood in awe as they watched her. 

Oh, how I loved every minute of that long ultrasound. I didn't want it to stop. But, we went and saw Dr. Sontag, and he told us that he couldn't be more happy with me and with the baby. Everything looked perfect. I am measuring right on track, and the baby is developing perfectly. I now weigh 132 pounds, with a total weight gain of 10 pounds. I definitely have officially "popped" now, with my belly actually looking pregnant now! I love it.

After we left the hospital, we all went to the Olive Garden for lunch, and celebrated our little girl. 

We headed to do a little shopping, where I had to buy some things to add a little pink in my life. Oh. My. Goodness. Shopping for a baby girl is irresistible. I may be in trouble.... But, I found some things, and controlled myself from going shopping-crazy, because I know pink gifts will be coming!

A newborn outfit - I'm thinking this is the hospital outfit! It is a pink and white striped Ralph Lauren. I love the little white silk bow. And the hat.....!!!

How does this not melt your heart????

Monday was a day I will never forget. It was beautiful, every part of it.....

On Wednesday, I went with my mom and my mom-in-law to pick out some fabric for the baby room. I was definitely successful, and later that evening, we sewed curtains and hung them! I love the way they turned out. Next, we will be making the comforter for the crib...

What a week!! I've prayed and prayed for these moments, and I know so many others have joined us and stood with us in prayer and unyielding support no matter what, as our painful journey through the storm of bringing this baby into our lives unfolded. The support, excitement, and rejoicing from others has encouraged me and lifted me. I know this baby is already loved by our friends and family. Each and every text and phone call that we received when we told our loved ones about our little girl was precious and will always hold a special place in my heart, and their rejoicing with us means more to us than words can ever say. I am so thankful for these precious people in our lives.

I love you all. 

Feel Those Kicks! It's Gonna Be A Soccer Player!

Yes, the above is a quote from our all time favorite movie, Billy Madison.

The first time I felt baby kick was two weeks ago. I was sitting in church. I was 16 weeks pregnant at the time, and I had heard that this was very early to feel baby kicks, and I wasn't sure if what I was feeling was actually the baby. But, as the days passed, and those flutters came and went in the same spot, it became clear that it was definitely baby! 

Over the past two weeks, the kicking has gotten more and more frequent, especially as my belly has grown. And oh my, how the belly has grown. I feel much bigger now than I did two weeks ago, like I have definitely gone through a growth spurt! It is so exciting! I cannot at all button up any pants, so the rubber band trick and the use of belly bands have been lifesavers. Maternity pants may be the next step. I'm trying to go as long as I can without them. :) I am still able to wear all of my tops, thank God! 

I am now 18 weeks along. Last night in bed, baby Swift was so active. I could even feel double kicks! I put my hand on my belly to see if the kicks can be felt on the outside, and they definitely can. I waited for another kicking moment, and grabbed Michael's hand and placed it on my belly. He could feel it!!! It was a sweet, precious, exciting moment. 

In ten more days, on Monday the 20th, we will find out the gender! The time is going by fast, and I am anxiously awaiting. I feel like once we know, we will be able to give the baby an identity - he or she! And who knows, we may name the baby soon!  

Blessings! 

My Growing Belly

I finally feel like the baby is starting to actually show, instead of just being bloated. Earlier this week, Dr. S told us that I should notice major growing changes in the next 2-4 weeks. I am so excited! I'm ready to look like I am pregnant!!! It's still hard for people to to tell just by looking at me, especially when I wear my normal jeans and tops. But when I wear dresses or sweatpants, I definitely can tell! So, here are the latest photos of my growing belly - I think they are just beautiful because they are showing my growing miracle!

13 weeks

15 weeks

16 weeks

Michael and I had dinner last week in Mobile, so we decided to leave early and do a little exploring. I have never been to Fairhope, Daphne, or Spanish Fort, so we traveled there. I absolutely loved Fairhope - it is a hidden jewel that doesn't seem to be that well known. I loved the quaint downtown area, but most of all, I loved the Municipal Park. It lies right on the bay, and also has some beautiful ponds with geese and ducks and turtles. It was gorgeous. So, we seized the opportunity for some photos!

My little bump!

Little bump is peeking out!

I love you already, little one! 

And Daddy loves you so much too! He already talks to you a lot. 

Much love to you all...

16 Weeks

Today we had our 16 week prenatal visit, and everything was great! I weighed in at 124, which means I have a total weight gain of 2 pounds to date. We once again heard the most beautiful, most amazing sound in the world - our baby's heartbeat. It brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. It was strong, measuring in the 150s BPM. And, I was delighted because the nurse that we had let us listen a lot longer this time. Hubby even recorded it on his phone! Dr. Sontag measured my uterus, and he said everything, all the measurements, my weight, and other tests look perfect. We were offered some other testing which could reveal any genetic disorders, such as downs or trisomy, but we declined. It wouldn't change anything for us. It is still our baby. But, we are believing and claiming a perfect, healthy baby!

I thought we were going to go back in in four weeks, but we will actually have our next prenatal visit in three weeks, on Monday, June 20. This is the big one, where the anatomy scan will be done, which means a long ultrasound with lots of pictures - hooray!!! And, we have decided that we will definitely find out the gender! We've had so many people ask what we think or what we hope we are having. We aren't "hoping" for a certain gender - we just want a healthy baby. We've waited so long for our miracle, that it does not matter one bit what our baby is. God knew our baby before it was even formed; He has great plans for our baby, and He knows what we are meant to have. Many have also asked if I have a "feeling" one way or the other, but honestly, I do not have any "feelings." It is going to be so much fun to find out!!!

Check back soon, I will be posting the latest and greatest growing belly photos!

We love you all, and thank you so much for continuing to pray for us and our little miracle.