33 Weeks and SIX TO GO!!!!!

It's really getting closer now baby girl!  It's kind of surreal to be honest.  Like I really want to keep this basketball in my belly forever or something - of course not!  But, you've been in there for so long, and that's the only way I have known you, it's surreal to think that you will actually be out of there soon!  And six weeks soon!

You now weigh about 4.4 pounds and measures about 17.8 inches. You will gain one third to one half of your weight during the final weeks of pregnancy. My amniotic fluid is now at it’s highest level and will stay at this level until your delivery. You may have now settled into the head down position (seems like you have); however, some babies do not do this until later in pregnancy.

Your skull is not joined and is very pliable. Your brain is rapidly growing now and increasing in size. Fat is rapidly accumulating and changing the color of your skin from red to pink.  Because you are rapidly gaining white fat and weight at this point I could be gaining weight more rapidly than in the past as well. And now is when I need to start getting my hospital bag packed and ready to go!

I have a feeling that you are a long little girl in there.  You push up into my ribs with your feet and down with your hands or head on my left hip bone simultaneously.  It feels like you found the ceiling and the floor and want to see if you can get any more in between room by pushing on both sides! And my torso is pretty long too!

You are head down - last week the ultrasound confirmed that your little head is right where I feel you on my hip bone.  One of your little legs was curled up by your chest and your hands in front of your face (surprise, surprise!).  But, as the ultrasound tech was doing her thing, I still felt you up by my ribs too...and she confirmed that that was your OTHER leg up there.  So, one was up by your chest and the other down in "normal" position, pushing by my ribs.  Hopefully that means you are more flexible than your mama ever was if you are already doing the splits!

We didn't get any great pictures of you from the utlrasound though....dang it.  She tried for a 3D shot a couple times with you, but just as it's always been, your little hands were up by your face, so it doesn't make for good 3D images because they need lots of open fluid around the area to get good shots.  She didn't even check your weight, this was just to check your breathing and my amniotic fluid (it's technically called a biophysical profile).  Both were great!  Way to go Avery Jo!  I just found out that I get a growth ultrasound on Thursday....yippee!  It's been a good six weeks, so we are ready to see you and know exactly how big they think you are now too!  We are now on the two doctor's appointments per week schedule.  Every week from here on out will be like this week - I go in on Mondays for the non-stress test (NST).  Pretty easy - just lay back and get some monitors strapped to me for 20-30 minutes and make sure your little heart rate goes up with movement.  You were a little difficult this week because you had the hiccups right after we hooked up the monitors....so your hiccups were registering for about 5 minutes instead of your heart rate.  And we just had to be patient.  =)  Then, on Thursdays, I will have another NST, a doctor's visit and biophysical profile (ultrasound just looking at your breathing and amniotic fluid).  This week, though, we will get a growth ultrasound as well, so that's a more intense ultrasound looking you up and down!  And measuring along the way.  =)

Your Pa and Mimi booked their flight out to see you!  That's exciting!  We won't know for sure when you will be induced until a few weeks before, so hopefully it will work with their travel dates.  Of course, you could always be here sooner too (which your Daddy, Sisters and I are all completely cool with, just so you know...as long as you are past 37 weeks.  =)

We had our second of three birthing classes tonight.  Good class, and got to see another part of labor and delivery at the hospital that your Mommy and Daddy didn't see with our little hospital stint a couple weeks back.  It's a newer area and the rooms are huge!  I guess it's the luck of the draw who gets what...and I'll be happy wherever you are...so we'll see where we end up.  We have our last one next Tuesday!

Oh...did you know that we have another baby shower coming up?  Yes, you are spoiled little girl!  The women at church are throwing it for us, so that's what's happening this Sunday afternoon.  Pretty excited to go!  These ladies are wonderful - and are very excited themselves to celebrate you for an hour or two.

Your Sisters and Daddy and I went to the "Make a Difference" Concert on Sunday night.  It had TobyMac, Third Day and Michael W. Smith all together.  You will soon learn that your Sisters (and us) LOVE TobyMac.  And he was amazing and so much fun to watch.  Third Day has been a favorite of your Mommy's since college...and your Daddy was in awe of them at the concert and are now his new favorite.  And Michael W. Smith....well, he's just the man...period.  It was such an amazing blend of artists.  We all loved it.  And that includes you.  You were rocking and rolling in my belly the WHOLE concert - and well after.  You definitely like to move to music!  You even woke up the next morning rocking and rolling!  I'm not sure if you even slept through the night!  Just kidding, I think.  =)  Your Daddy felt some of your CRAZY movement during the concert.  It had to be a knee pushing out my stomach or something...he's felt you kick lots of times...but this all over movement that you do now was a new one for him to feel!

Here's a video with TobyMac, Mac Powell from Third Day and Michael W. Smith.  This was the final song of the concert (TobyMac's "City on our Knees") and they all sang it together.  Awesome.



Your Daddy took these pictures at the concert.....

 TobyMac rocking out with his band/dancers, Diverse City

Third Day was up next!

Mac Powell from Third Day and Michael W. Smith

Michael W. Smith

This concert was truly amazing.  Of course, the music was a huge part of that.  And as I have been reminiscing about the concert after, I realize that another reason this was amazing is that these artists are all they say they are.  They love Jesus and that was the MAIN message of the entire concert.  Each has such a big heart for their faith.  Now, do they stumble and make mistakes, I'm sure they have, like us all.  But, as TobyMac sings about - you lose your way, you get back up again....it's never too late to get back up again...you may get knocked down but not out forever.  In a world where artists that have so much talent they take for granted and luxuries in their back pockets, it's just really refreshing to see artists use this privilege for God's glory.  

Alright...we have to have our countdown this week...with the number SIX.  As in, SIX weeks to go until we see you!  In honor of that, here are SIX things I still need to get done before your arrival!

6.  Wash your bedding and some of your clothes from your last shower
5.  Pack a hospital bag!
4.  Have your Sister, Kyndall's 16th/Halloween birthday party with a ton of teenagers over here!
3.  Figure our what outfit you are going home in!
2.  Get a good chunk of Christmas shopping done!
1.  Get you to 37 weeks (full term) and then we are home free!  =)


Okay...one last picture before I sign off for the night.  Here's your Mommy's belly at 33 weeks.  And you have really grown I guess because this picture kind of even shocked me!  You've expanded in the last month! Now, when your Daddy says that I've really got a belly, I know why he's saying it - this picture says it all!  =)

Yeah, it's still crazy for me to look at!  =)

We love you baby girl!  Can't wait to see you on Thursday!  I will try and post pictures and a quick update from the ultrasound then!

24 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it?  I can't - it's already 24 weeks!  You are growing like a weed and kicking like a Kung Fu master!  And I love it all!

This is another big week for you, my magical growing baby! Just take a look at your checklist for this week: 1) ears: done; 2) fingernails: done; and 3) lungs walls: secreting “surfactant”. What’s that? Well, surfactant is sort of what it sounds like: a surface-activated fat whose main purpose is to assist the your little lungs during inflation (as in, filling with air, not getting more expensive). Just in case you’re curious, you are still breathing in amniotic fluid, preparing and rehearsing your lungs for an oxygen-filled life outside the womb. You should be weighing around 1.5 lbs or so and come in at 11-12 inches long. You, my little cutie-patootie, may even be a little more plump, but you aren't anywhere near the full baby-fatted cute-self that we get to eventually see!  Most of the “filling out” is coming up in that long awaited third trimester. Only a few weeks away from that! Woo-hoo! Get ready!

Your Mommy is feeling larger FOR SURE!  Sometimes your Daddy looks at me and goes, "Wow, babe...you're getting really pregnant!".  And he means that in a very good way.  I love looking pregnant...and even still, I "wow" my own self in the mirror!  Especially when I flip from looking at my body from the front angle and then turn to the side...I go from not prego to prego in a second! 

I have slowed down on the running - I think it's been a week or so since I got on the treadmill.  I have been biking instead (have a $5 bike we got from a garage sale a long time ago!), and I can get my heart rate up to a good level on that.  Plus, I can read a book while I pedal - nothing like multi-tasking to make me forget I'm working out!  And the awesome book I just read ("A Time to Dance" by Karen Kingsbury - the first book I have read by her and it WON'T be the last - got another one coming from the library already!) made the time bearable too.  I am more winded than I ever have been...I guess the belly helps with that.  I may try getting on the treadmill again here soon - this week I have not been motivated to work out for some reason - last week was great though.  I don't think I've skipped a week (doing at least 3 or more work outs a week) since I was pregnant with you!

Okay, let's talk about your kicking for a minute here....LOVE IT!  I am wondering if I am always going to love this, say, in like eight weeks from now?  Or, is this all so new to me that I feel like it could never get annoying?  Sometimes with how hard you have been kicking (and twisting and turning and dancing and rolling) in there I get a little nervous to what it's going to be like in several weeks from now!  Your Daddy has felt you several times, now we just need to get your Sisters to feel it too.  You seem to be getting on a schedule now - pretty active in the morning after I have my 1/2 Caff coffee, after each meal you squirm around a bit, then...at night before bed between 9-10pm you are on a roll (literally) again.  Oh, and if I have a full bladder, you like to dance on it...I get these weird pressure pushes every so often.  Some days (like yesterday and today so far) you are a little quieter...I feel you here and there...but I think either 1) I am so busy, being up and around that I don't sit long enough to notice your turning and twisting or 2) I have a feeling that you turn with your back to the front of my tummy sometimes and so your little legs and arms and towards the back instead of my tummy so I don't feel that same feeling.  Another new feeling is putting my hand to my belly and ever-so-slightly feeling your heart beat (I think).  I can definitely feel mine (since lately it feels like my heart has taken up a new residence in my gut since it's such a strong beat in my tummy!)....and it's not mine that I am feeling.  It is a very light rapid tapping.  Unless I am imagining it there...which is entirely possible too!

I am also feeling like all my insides are getting pushed upwards (for a very good cause!).  Like, someone took a big rubber band and put it right under my chest (and right above the top of you) and started squeezing.  My lungs, stomach and heart feel all scrunched together.  And I am sure that is probably exactly what's happening too!  Even my sinuses and head feel pushed on more, like the pushing up of all my organs is getting into my head too.  The oil slick of my skin seems to have lessened a bit - or that new powder I bought is masking the spring of oil instead.  Either way...works for me!

Your Sisters are back to school!  This week is always so busy and overwhelming for me - getting back into the routine, papers need signed, classes organized, more school supplies bought, etc.  Plus, Kyndall is in cross country this year, so we take her to practice at 5:15am each morning (and Saturdays, mind you!)...then Megan goes around 7:45am.  Today, Kyndall forgot her shoes (because she has to take a shower and get ready for school there after practice), so there was another trip to school at 7:15am for me.  And on Mondays and Wednesdays she has ANOTHER practice after school until 3:45pm.  Yikes...this girl is either going to waste away to nothing or collapse I think!  She loves it though...and as much as she had NEVER (I repeat, never) run in her life before this summer and so is battling a few injuries, she's really doing well with it!  Better than your Mommy would and I ran track all through Jr. High and High School!  We had a parent get together last weekend for cross country and even with Kyndall not being able to use her full potential yet because of the injuries, the coaches seem to be really impressed by her.  And that warms your Mommy's heart.  Because it's more than just her being a good runner - they see that she has drive and dedication to this sport - when no one is making her do any of this.  Megan just got a new hair cut (wish I had a picture to show you!) and looks absolutely adorable (like that's any different than normal though!).  She is pretty pumped about 8th grade - feels "cool" I think because she is the big dog on campus now at the Jr. High.  She was in basketball last year, but at this point it sounds like she is going to skip basketball and do a lot of clubs at school.  And that is a-okay with your Daddy and I - she did great for a year and tried it - it's not everyone's cup of tea.  She does have her old basketball coach for Math this year - so we'll see if Miss B can convince her to try out before the season starts.  Either way, we are just so happy to have them as our girls (and your Sisters!).  They are the best things ever....which makes me that much more excited to think about you all THREE being together finally.  Wow, baby girl, I can't wait!

Your Mommy and Daddy got some new "toys" this past weekend.  First, my laptop went  out a couple weeks ago...not good...but I managed without it for a while and made do.  We looked at new laptops, but everything just seemed too expensive for us right now.  Every so often I check a website (http://www.woot.com/), which has a deal a day and they had a little netbook for sale for a great deal.  We ordered it and got it in the mail the other day and I am typing on it right now!  So far, so great!  Here's the little thing....

It's a tiny little thing, isn't it?

And then, your Daddy has been really into finding old LP's lately (yes, these "forms of music" will be like 100 times removed from whatever we listen to music on when you are older...but living in this house, I have a feeling you will always know old school music and LP's).  We started in Colorado at an antique shop finding a couple cool albums...and now, we have found a few places around here that sell used albums.  Your Daddy's favorite albums we have found are The Commodores, Yaz, and Billy Joel Greatest Hits.  For me - my favs are the Footloose soundtrack (hello, your Mommy's favorite karaoke song is on there - and yes - you will be karaoking by the age of 2) and Top Gun soundtrack.  Oh, we even found Michael Jackson's Thriller album and it's in great shape too!  Here's a picture of your Daddy's new favorite thing to do!

Also, some of your Daddy's old friends, Shawn and Dorene sent us some cute clothes for you!   I had to take a few pictures and show off your stuff!  You are so spoiled already!

Could this get any cuter?  A tutu dress for you! I love tutus!

Little sleeper with ruffles down your chest and belly (and can you see the little feet look like you have pink strappy shoes on?).....and the best part is......

...the pants have ruffles on your bum!  And we all know that your Mommy loves ruffles on the bum (for you, not me!)

Last, but not least, my tummy pictures for the month.  I am going to post a bare belly one again this week...but this may be the last month for it...my belly is just a little too, well, big and weird looking nowadays when bared.  =)  So, I'll also post one with my tummy covered - how clothes are fitting me now - since there's no need to raise my shirt up anymore to know that I have a belly under there!  And, I my tummy looks super cute with clothes on!

This is an old one - 20 weeks

Here's your Mommy now!  Told you both you and I were growing like weeds!

And here's me with my belly covered...how I'd look walking down the street.  I seem waaaay smaller with clothes on for some reason!

Yes, my arms are above my head, because...well...it's really difficult trying to figure out where to put them for these belly pictures!

Little girlie...I love you sooooo much.  At 24 weeks you are now officially considered a viable baby (and have a greater than 50% chance of surviving if born today!), although you've been viable from Day 1 for your Daddy and I.  My love for you already amazes me.  I can't imagine how much stronger that will be once you are in our arms, grab on to our fingers with your little hand, coo and giggle at us, wear some of these amazingly adorable clothes (with ruffle bums!), and just begin to be you and snuggle up to us.  For now, this love is incredible and I am thoroughly enjoying every single day with you.  Kick me if you feel the same way.  Ooooh....good one.

Wiggle it....just a little bit!

Okay, so, I know that I should understand by this point that there is a baby inside of me...but after days like today, it just takes my breath away still!  Today was my appointment...and thank goodness another sonogram (was thinking they may just do the doppler to get your heart rate...but we got the sono instead - yay!).  I've read that you should be moving around by 9-10 weeks, so I was excited to see if we could catch some movements...and we did!  Your arms and legs were there, moving around...one of your arms was up by your eyes and nose...and the legs were-a-kicking!  Literally took my breath away...I didn't want it to end!  And as she took a few measurements (heart rate was 164 - good and strong!) and your Daddy and I were still in awe, you fell asleep!  Crazy little baby!  She tried to wake you up by pushing the sono wand on my belly a lot, but you were out!  She said that at 10 weeks you sleep every 30 minutes.  Or, maybe you knew that we wanted to get some good pictures of you, so you were holding still until the end?  =)  Either way, we did get a couple good shots of you today.  Okay, so let me explain.  The first picture is of your face, straight on.  She moved the wand so it was at a little different angle to get a front shot.  You can see your eye sockets, little nose area and mouth (the whitest part is your mouth)!  The second shot is the profile shot.  Your head in on the left, with one of your arms up by your eyes (no, you aren't a Who from Whoville with a pointy turned-up nose, I promise!).  Your legs are there and I can even see your belly!  Love it...you are really a baby!  I know I should know this and today really helped...but still sometimes crazy to see you as a little baby!  The screens in the room were so much better with detail than these pics...but we'll have to just take these for now!

The doctor's appointment went great too! I saw a different doctor than the first one we met several weeks ago.  Still the same vibe from him - they have a very balanced approach about the high-risk prenancy - meaning, they don't scare the crap out of me about my disease, which is much appreciated, and honestly, it's the way my nature is and always has been about my disease anyway (thanks Mom and Dad!).  So, he came in and looked at my blood sugar numbers for the past two weeks and said my numbers look great!  Woohoo!  We talked through several things/questions I had collected over the last two weeks.  I'm flying to IL in a couple weeks - all good, just need to get up and shake my legs out halfway through.  Same goes for our July trip to Colorado in the car - and your Daddy and I (and you!) are flying again at the end of August to IL again...no worries there.  Also wondered about my blood type (there is a Rh Negative issue/worry with babies and depending on blood type of mine and Daddy's then we would know whether to worry or not).  I am A+ (never knew that before)...so no worries there.  He also told me that I would get a 3D ultrasound around my 18 week appointment.  That is the week before we leave for Colorado...so we should have a CD full of great pictures of you before we go and see our family there!  Yay!  I also asked when I would get my A1C done (this measures my control of my blood sugar #'s over the last 2-3 months)...he said I would get that in two weeks (at 12 weeks).  So, I will go in and get that done the day before I head out to IL.  He explained that a "normal" person (a.k.a. - no diabetes or other high risks) has a 3% chance of congenital abnormalities - ranging from anything like an extra finger or two to a brain malformation.  That's a normal pregnancy chance.  This A1C result I get, if under 8.5, I will have the same 3% chance as a normal person of abnormalities.  If it is over 8.5, the risk goes to 22%.  Wow, right?  Well, an 8.5 A1C is pretty high and with all I've been doing with my numbers, I'm expecting to be under 6.5 (cross your fingers for under 6.0 - I'd love that!).  I'd never heard it explained like that before, so it was interesting to hear.  I look at the A1C test as kind of my "grade" for my blood sugar control.  It's really the only gauge out there to determine your average number over a long period of time.  Oh, and by the way, a "normal" person (a.k.a. no diabetes) has an A1C of 4.5 - 6.5...so that's the range I'm shooting for!  Ugh...I still can't get you wiggling out of my head!  =)

I wasn't sure I was going to do this, but what's a pregnancy blog without a belly picture.  So...we saw what you looked like from the inside up above...and here's how you are taking shape on the outside.  Still can't see a big bump...but you are definitely making an impact a little bit!  Can't wait until you are bigger and my belly is loud and proud!  =)

If you are wondering what the white thing is on my tummy, it's the CGM sensor.  You may even see a little tubing from my pump too...just ignore!  =)

So, here's the sad news....I won't see you again until after I am back from IL...a whole THREE weeks from now.  Part of that is good news because the doctor was pleased enough with how I was doing, so I didn't need to be back in for a while...but the sucky part is I don't get to see you for that long.  So until then, just keep pushing on my ab muscles and showing yourself in that way so that I know you are doing  a-okay!  I think in three weeks we get a good detailed scan of you - checking on the chambers of your heart.  Can't wait to see you then!