"Whoa There Swelly... You're Only at Week 29!"

Ahhhh... week 29. Almost to the 30 week mark. I don't know why I've been looking so forward to getting to 30 weeks... maybe because I'll be officially as pregnant as I feel. I knew I would more than likely look farther along then I was... and I was right. I've already had several people come up to me... pat my belly and say "Well you're about ready to pop aren't you?" Oh boy... I just smile and say "Not yet. I still have to make it to October."... you should see the look on some of their faces when they do the math in their heads and realize just how far along I am... hehe.

Well I guess I should explain the blog title in case some of you didn't get it... I'm battling swelling in my feet, ankles, and hands.. pretty bad. I swell pretty much every day, thankfully, I've been able to get it to go down, I just have to stop what I'm doing and prop my feet up. It's only in my hands, feet, and ankles, and my blood pressure is still normal. I'm trying all the tricks... walking, drinking lots of water, eating a little to no sodium diet, and propping my feet up at least 20 minutes every day. But... it's still happens. Sometimes I tend to be a worrier and freak out over things like this (yes, I've googled "preeclampsia").. honestly, I'm not really concerned about it, especially since my blood pressure is still great. My next doctor's appointment is this upcoming Tuesday. I do plan on asking Dr. Daniel about it.. just to make sure. Speaking of Dr. Daniel, I have to take a moment to reflect on how thankful I am for him. I couldn't imagine having anyone else taking care of me and my sweet baby during this time. From the first day Jordan and I walked in his office, he was A-MAZING! I feel so comfortable sharing my concerns and my fears with him. He doesn't make me feel silly or ignorant... he usually grabs my hand, looks me right in the eye, and answers every question I have. Every time I go in for an appointment, he makes me feel like I am his only, and most important patient... even though by far... I am not :) You can tell that he loves what he does and finds great joy in taking care of and delivering these precious babies.... every one of them. Of course I have anxieties about delivery (what first-time mom.... or any mom for that matter doesn't), but I can truly say that I trust Dr. Daniel with not only my life, but the life of my sweet Ada... and that is an amazing peace to have. Thank you Lord, for Dr. Daniel. May You continue to bless him and his practice as he continues to bring Your precious children into this world.

Here are Ada's developments for this week: Due to technological advancements in medicine, would you believe that Ada has a 9 out of 10 chance of survival if she was born this week? Of course we want her to stay in there... I just think it's amazing how far medicine has come. Ada's brain now regulates her breathing and body temperature. Her sucking abilities are also perfected now (Speaking of sucking, I plan on breast-feeding Ada, and I am so excited about it. However, I know that it can be difficult and doesn't work for everyone. Please pray that Ada and I would have no trouble breast-feeding when she comes.) Her skin is looking less and less wrinkled as she is packing on the pounds. She's putting on the insulating and energizing white fat that she'll be born with. Ada's energy levels are high these days... trust me! I feel kicks, punches, and elbows... all the time! I've started "counting her kicks"... basically once in the morning before I get out of bed and once when I lay down at night, I count her movements until I get to ten. Supposedly, ten movements within two hours is sufficient movement for her gestational age. Right now, Ada is probably around 15 inches long from head to toe and weighing in around 3 pounds.

Jordan and I are getting so excited. With our niece Hope's birth last week, we are really looking forward to welcoming our gift into the world. I've been talking to Jordan about doing a post on here... I thought it might be interesting for you guys to get his perspective of all this. Jordan is more ready for her to get here than I am... I think. He's constantly talking to her, singing and reading to her, looking at the calendar, rubbing my belly... it truly is precious. I can already tell Jordan is going to be a HUGE help to me when she gets here. He's starting to cook meals with me, so that he can cook supper for us when she gets here. He's a huge help around the house, as far as, cleaning, laundry, etc... I'm so thankful for a husband who serves and leads. Well, that's about it for this week. Maybe next week you'll get a Daddy post :)