TWO MONTHS TO GO!

Reflections: 

I was reflecting today about how last July our lives were going in a completely different direction. Last July, we were planning on moving to Oregon right about this time. We announced it to our families and were getting prepared for that big move. We were ready for something new and big to come into our lives and we thought Oregon was our answer. A few weeks later, Paedn had to quit his job. This kind of irritated the moving plans but they were still in place. Luckily, he was able to start a new job that same week. A couple more weeks later, we went out and were looking to buy a car. (This is where I randomly fainted.) But buying a car ended up not working out. It  seemed the more we tried to progress with our life, the more we ran into a wall. This grew to become very tiresome and frustrating. Why was everything we wanted to do getting thrown back in our faces? A few short weeks later, we found out why. The "unexpected" new and big change that we were so desperately trying to have, was actually our little baby. Even seven months later, I am still surprised by this change. It is a miracle how everything works out and how everything happens for a reason. Everything we kept trying to do the Lord kept us from for the welfare of our little family. How blessed we are to have someone who knows the ultimate game plan leading us through life!     

How is the Little Family?

Can you believe I have just about two months left until this little lady makes her big debut?! We are so very excited. Every night when Paedn is talking to Lorelei he asks, "Can't you come out yet?! I want to meet you!" It is so precious. I am so blessed that I married such a sweet, hard working man. I know without a doubt that Paedn will be a great father. His relationship with his daughter is going to be priceless, it already is! I like to think that she has a personality already and knows what she is doing. For instance, she teases her daddy! She would be kicking and rolling and as soon as Paedn sets his hand on my tummy she stops. Then when he gives up and lifts his hand, she starts dancing again. I can just hear her now, giggling with delight as she makes her daddy laugh. Then, the other night while I was trying to fall asleep, Paedn was already alseep and had his hand resting on my belly, Lorelei was rolling and kicking just underneath Paedn's hand. It was so sweet. She was showing her daddy that she really does love him. 

Lorelei is definitely growing. I feel her move and kick under my ribs. The first day I noticed this was maybe about a week ago-she kicked and punched me both in my lower tummy and up in my ribs at the same time. Ha! I had no idea how to react to this. I just sat there and laughed. Sometimes, I can barely bend over because she is blocking me under my ribs. Poor girl, she is probably so smushed in there! She is also getting big enough for us to feel her hiccups! Even Paedn felt her!! He thought this was hilarious! The first time I noticed her hiccuping was at work. I was sitting in my chair, reading a book, and I kept having this "echo-y heartbeat" pulsing in my stomach. I text my mom asking her if these were hiccups-they were! Hooray! In just a matter of a week and a half, she has grown so much that now my tummy actually bounces slightly with each hiccup! (I noticed this today.)  

Woohoo! I made my jeans into maternity jeans!

I am becoming less scared about having a baby. When I was younger, I was never asked to do any babysitting for friends or anything like that. I watched my little brother but that was about it. Because of my lack of experience, I have never felt very "motherly" or comfortable around babies. I have three nieces and a nephew (whom I have yet to meet!) and I have been able to watch them grow up from a distance. When I do get to see them, I would try and play but didn't quite know how to associate with them. If they started crying, well, mom or dad were right there so they would take care of it. Two of my nieces are almost four years old and I feel more comfortable and love playing with them now compared to when they were newborns. So, because of this hesitation towards babies I was nervous about having my own.  I always knew I wanted kids but it was never at the top of my list of things to get done. My oh my, how the tables have turned!! Every day I grow more comfortable and actually excited about the idea of having a baby! I know, babies cry, poop, and just make messes; but I am actually anxious to hold my baby in my arms to comfort her, to change yet another dirty diaper, and then to finally feel happy with a clean house only to find my baby pulling books of the shelf. It is so strange how my perspective can change so rapidly. This precious little lady is going to be mine. I am responsible to teach her how to talk and how to walk. I am responsible for teaching her to be a lady. As scary as it sounds, I am responsible for teaching her everything! Wow.   

My pregnancy has seemed to dial down to slow mode. I have really enjoyed being pregnant, except the whole first trimester sickness deal. Other than that, I have loved it. I get to have this special bond with my child; I get to know her before anyone else does. But, I am starting to feel the weight of pregnancy bare down, ha-literally. She is growing and it is starting to weigh me down. I feel heavy, though, some days I feel bigger than others. I am growing more tired and uncomfortable and dare I may say, irritable. I am waking up more at night either to go to the restroom or just because my body hurts so much I wake up. The couch is no longer helping. Right now, I wish I had a good recliner to relax in. I think that would help. (Put that on my "To Get Before Next Pregnancy" list.)

On Sunday, we went to church and I saw people I have not seen in a long time. As soon as I walked into the building, I had friends smiling and some actually laughing when they saw me. They were like, "I have never seen you much bigger than a twig!" So apparently, there is no mistaking that I am pregnant. Finally! Only took til the third trimester!    

Nursery Update:

Her nursery is slowly, but surely, making progress. We are using my old crib and hopefully that will be set up in her nursery in within a few weeks! We found some bedding we may want to get for her-pink Pooh Bear! This was Paedn's idea when we saw it and I could not say no! (Pooh Bear was my favorite when I was little.) Lorelei already has four stuffed animal Pooh Bears, an Eeyore, and a Tigger! 

One of the flowers I made!

I still have several things I want to make for the nursery. I plan on making a changing pad cover, we need to build shelves, and I may want to eventually make a cover for the glider we have. My sister came over on Monday and taught me how to make some cute bows and flowers for headbands. We would make them and then grab her girls to model them for us. I cannot tell you how excited this made me that I am having a little girl! 

Lorelei's "Stats":

Today I had a doctor's appointment. Lorelei is now 30weeks and 5 days. Everything is looking great! I am no longer measuring big (just feeling big!). For this I am grateful because that means they are not worried about me having a big baby! But, I am  also a little sad...I really wanted that extra ultrasound!

I really like this picture I found from babyzone.com of the baby at 30 weeks! Look how big she is getting!!

Lorelei is now approximately 15.7 inches long and weighs just about 3 pounds. She is about the size of a large cabbage.

Hello, Third Trimester!!

28 WEEKS..or am I


Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment. Ha, in two weeks I gained FIVE pounds!! I thought this was crazy. I guess she really is growing! Our Lady's heart rate was 153 and my belly measured at 30. I was excited they told me what they measured and what the heart rate was because they usually don't! My doctor said that depending on Lady's growth spurt the next few weeks I may get another ultrasound to check and see how big she is. I was very excited about this because I have only had the two ultrasounds- one from the first appointment and the other from the anatomy one. But, it also worried me a little because I do not want a big baby. I have never even considered myself to have a big baby! Both Paedn and I were just over 7lbs when we were born, which I consider average, and we still are thin people! How could two small people produce a big baby? It doesn't make sense in my head. As I was talking with my mom, I remembered my very first appointment. It wasn't scheduled until a month after we found out I was pregnant. By then I did several due date calculations and came to the conclusion that I was about 12 weeks at my first appointment and my due date was April 28. Wrong! They measured me at 10 weeks and pushed my due date back to May 04. I thought that was odd because of how my body had been behaving and how you calculate the due date from home, things like that. But, I went with it. Doctor knows best, right? Well, I am now convinced that I was right from the very beginning. Which means I am in my 29th week but just a few days shy of 30. 
I do not want to go full term. Is that horrible to say? I actually do not think my body will. For my mom, it was normal to deliver around 38 weeks, so that is the guideline I have for myself. Following the doctor's due date, if I did deliver at 38 weeks that would put me at the 20th of April (because of that I have been telling myself that I want to deliver on the 24th because that is my Grandpa Toone's birthday!) BUT, If we follow my gut instinct that I am slightly further along right now and am close to 30 weeks, that means I would want to deliver April 14! (This would be when Paedn is in Disneyland!!!) For some reason, the middle of April seems to feel more right than the beginning of May. Then again, I also thought that our first baby will be a boy, so we can see how accurate my thoughts can be!
In the end, I know it really does not matter. My body will know when the right time is and will go into labor as it seems fit. It is just exciting to think that there is a possibility of Lorelei coming sooner.


Is it too soon to ask if anyone has any thoughts on when Lorelei's birth date will be??


Everything else is going great. Lorelei has been extremely active this past week. She is a tease though. Every time I would lift my shirt to see if I could see her move around, she would stop. Same thing when Paedn would put his hand on my tummy to feel her, she stopped moving. Then, after we gave up, she would get right back to rolling around and kicking. I have already notice a change though and know she will not be as active in the upcoming week. She is definitely getting bigger. Not only is my tummy growing, I feel more weighed down as well. Sleeping is becoming more difficult. I am always hot and uncomfortable. Several weeks ago, Paedn put a memory foam pad on top of our mattress and that has helped a bit. I sleep with four pillows and am trying to find ways to support my body for a more comfortable sleep. I have noticed that I like napping on the couch because of the back support and helps me not roll onto my back to sleep. I definitely can no longer sleep partly on my stomach like I was a few weeks ago, so I do not have to worry about that!
Oddly enough, sometimes I forget I am pregnant. I have jumped into bed and went to go lay on my stomach with my chin propped in my hands and quickly realized that is very uncomfortable. At volleyball, I went down to pick up a ball, without bending my knees, and almost toppled over because my belly hit my legs first! Last night, we went out to dinner and I tried to squeeze behind the table to sit down and hit my belly right on the corner of the table. That one hurt for a while! My skin is very sensitive, especially around my belly button. I have always had a shallow belly button and said it was a "half in-y half out-y" and this is still true. It is starting to poke out on just one side. It makes me laugh! On Sunday, I actually had to wear a band-aid over it to help hide it from poking through my dress.


The third trimester is definitely here. I am slowing down and do no have the energy I had just a few weeks ago. I am both very excited and nervous thinking about how soon our Lady will be here. There is so much to do and get still! It is exhausting just thinking about it. I watch my friends announce that their baby's have arrived and know that my time is soon approaching.