Hello Third Trimester...

Today I am 28 weeks pregnant... thus entering into my THIRD TRIMESTER! Whoa! Today is a special post... in previous posts, I've mentioned that Jordan's brother and his wife were expecting a baby as well. Well... on Tuesday, July 27th, sweet little Eden Hope Weathers entered the world around 1:24 in the afternoon. I was so blessed and honored to be a part of her delivery (I was the photographer).. This is the second time I've been in the delivery room. The first time was when my cousin Emma was born (it was a GREAT experience), but this time was special because I knew that in just a few short months, I'd be delivering my angel.

As I think back on Hope's delivery, the only word I have to describe it is... beautiful... the way our Creator has orchestrated and designed our lives from our very first breath is absolutely amazing to me. Hope is absolutely beautiful. She weighed 7 lbs 14 oz. and was 20 inches long. She looks like her momma :) and has big blue eyes and a head full of dark hair. Aimee (my sister-in-law) and I have often said how fun it would be to have babies that are close in age. Well, Hope and Ada will be around 11 or 12 weeks apart in age so we're thinking they will be really close :)

I'm really stretching these days... both physically and mentally. Right now I'm on vacation with family in the mountains, so I really have time think and reflect on things. Physically, I am growing. There are days my stomach is actually sore. However, some of that may have to do with the fact that Ada is SUPER active. I'm sure it's just because this is my first baby, but I really didn't expect movements from her that actually hurt sometimes... Mentally, I've really been starting to go through all the things I'm sure every new mother goes through. "Who will she look like?", "Can we handle a new baby?", "Are we sure that we are ready?"... etc. It's a daily struggle for me to keep all my anxiety and worries under control and trust in the Sovereignty of my sweet Lord. However, I know that He is who He is and that my circumstances do not change that! HALLELUJAH! Also, when I feel these bouts of anxiety coming on, I try and remind myself of the things God has already blessed us with during this pregnancy: we got pregnant with the first round of Clomid I took.. much to the surprise of us and my doctor, every screening test and sonogram has shown that Ada is developing absolutely perfectly, I have felt well (minus the morning sickness) and been able to do most, if not all, of the things I did before I was pregnant, Ada is very active and that is a reassurance to me that she's okay, Jordan has been an AMAZING supporter, encourager, and has earnestly prayed over me and this baby from the beginning, and it has been a joy to watch my family share in the excitement and joy of this pregnancy... wow... that's just naming a few! I want to record these things so that I can look back and be reminded in the future.

Okay, I know this post is getting long, so on to Ada's developments for the week. Right now, Ada's eyes are partially open now and she can actually blink. She also is having Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep... is that not crazy? Speaking of her eyes, they have color now. It may not be the color she ultimately ends up with, but they do have color :) The reason I'm growing is because she is growing! She's now measuring at about 15 inches from head to toe and weighing in at around 2.5 to 3 pounds! Well, I think that's a long enough post for this week...

27 Weeks...

Ahh... 27 weeks. I'm starting the last week of my second trimester. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant and so emotional, but this week, I've been a little sad that it's all going so quickly... even though the past couple of weeks I've been complaining that it's going so slow. Oh boy... hormones!

This is a short post this week... I've got my hands full today. My mother-in-law and father-in-law payed us a surprise visit yesterday evening and have been visiting all day today. On top of that... I've got my nieces and nephew so my sister-in-law could go to the doctor... she's due any day now with a sweet baby girl.. Hope. Yes... we plan on Ada and Hope being B.F.F's... after all, they are only going to be around three months apart in age. 

Ada's developments this week: Her lungs and immune system have been maturing this week. In fact... if Ada were born today, she would have an 85 percent chance of surviving (with medical assistance) because her lungs are capable of breathing air. Of course we want her to stay in there to term, but isn't it amazing the medical breakthroughs God has blessed us with! Ada's length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks! Her brain tissue and neurons are developing and her brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby. Ada's measuring around 14.5 inches and is weighing in just over 2 pounds! 

I'm still battling swelling, but I've been walking... a lot, and swimming when I can. That has helped a lot! My next doctor's appointment is the first of August, so I've got about two more weeks. Until next week... :)

26 Down... 12-14 more to go!

Well friends, today I am 26 weeks pregnant. This week has seemed to creep by as well; however, I just keep thinking about how in two weeks I will be in my third trimester! I remember just yesterday, counting down the weeks until I was in my second trimester!

I've been feeling pretty good these days... as long as I stay out of this heat! Goodness gracious... I feel like this is the hottest summer EVER!... maybe it's just because I'm pregnant :) I'm still battling some swelling.. I've had to take off my wedding rings :( It's killing me to not wear them! I got some good news... I passed my fasting sugar test at the doctor. This is huge, because the cut off is really low and I passed! Diabetes runs in my family, so I was really nervous about developing gestational diabetes. Thankfully, since I've passed this test, my chances for developing gestational diabetes are extremely low! I gained a little more weight last month then I liked (Dr. Daniel had no problem with it), but I know myself... I had kind of slacked off on walking and definitely gave in to my cravings every now then. So.. I've started back walking... about an hour a day at least four days a week. My sweet grandfather (PawPaw) is my walking buddy. PawPaw will be 76 years old in January. He's very healthy except for two things... he has two artificial knees and a gut :) So... we decided we would both benefit from walking everyday, and let me tell you... he is a trooper! He goes the full hour and stays up with me. I am so thankful for this time with my PawPaw. I know that this time is precious and I cherish it... even if it is 100 degrees outside!!!

Developments in the nursery are at a stand still right now. As much as I want to work hard and get it all done now... I realize that I do have plenty of time and I should really wait and see what I get at my shower. It's totally my personality to get my mind set on something and then throw myself 100% into it. I'm very stubborn that way.

Ada's developments this week are quite significant. Air sacks are developing in her lungs so she will be able to actually take a breath. These air sacks are technically called "alveoli" and will continue to develop for the next nine years of her life... is that not crazy? The retina in her eye is completely developed this week, although her eyes are still sealed shut. Ada's brainwaves for her auditory and visual systems are actually detectable this week. So, her brain is actually registering things like sound and light. Her hearing is continually developing, and soon she will start to recognize our voices (Jordan and I talk to her all the time :) Ada is weighing in at approximately 1 2/3 pounds and is around 14 inches from head to heel.

The more I think about it, the more excited I get. The maximum amount of time I have left is 14 weeks. 14 weeks ago, I was 12 weeks pregnant. WHOAH! That seems like just yesterday! Oh be still my heart! I can't wait for her to get here so I can hold her in my arms! My prayer is that I would not wish time away. I realized the other day, that I will never have Ada in my tummy again. Hopefully I will carry other babies... but not her. I pray that throughout the rest of this pregnancy and in the years to come... that I will not focus on the "next" thing, but I would live in the present and soak it all in :)

25 Weeks...

Why oh why is it creeping by? I know I've said this before, but some weeks fly by and others creep. I think time is starting to creep because Jordan and I are so ready for her to get here. Sometimes... I go sit and rock in the nursery and try to imagine what my sweet baby will look like. I don't know if I've shared this before, but here is my prediction... Ada may have some of my features, but overall... she's going to look like her Daddy. I don't know why.. I just have this gut feeling. I think she will have a head full of black hair, a cute little button nose, and bblue-gray eyes. Oh yeah.. and I'm praying she has her Daddy's lips... their very full and plump!

I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday of this week. So far everything is great! I'm now officially in my positive weight gain... plus 5! Oh dear... I better get use to the number on the scale going up... I just have to keep reminding myself that in the end, I will have a beautiful baby girl to show for it! Ada's heart rate at my doctor's appointment was 157... healthy and strong! I've been really worried about how "much" I'm showing... I feel huge! But, when the nurse measured me, I was measuring right on schedule. I guess I just feel bigger than I actually am. I still have a hard time imagining just how big I'm actually going to get. My sweet sister Caitlin went with me to my appointment with me. She left for Honduras this morning... pray for her and her team. She will be with a team there in Honduras for a month working in orphanages. By the way.. she has a blog that she will be updating when she gets a chance while she is there. Here is the link.

Ada's developments this week... her hands are fully developed she's spending a lot of time these days groping around. Because her brain and nerve endings are developed, she can feel the sensation of touch. Her arms and legs have grown and are now pretty much proportional to the rest of her body. Ada's nostrils, before now, were plugged up... now they are clear and she is practicing breathing through her nose. Okay.. this is cool... her spine is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments! Capillaries are now forming and it's giving her skin a pink glow. Also, the blood vessels in her lungs have developed this week. She weighs around a pound and a half... whoah... fatty :) and she is around 13 1/2 inches long.

Have a great weekend! I will post again in a week :)

24 Weeks...

Yay! 24 weeks down... only 14 more to go (Yes, we are still praying she comes around 38 weeks... in fact,  we are praying over a specific date.. October 9th)... So far, so good. I'm having more frequent swelling in my feet and ankles... a couple of times, it's even gotten a little uncomfortable and I've had to stop what I'm doing to go prop my feet up. Jordan's been amazing! He is so patient with me... I have to admit, I'm so very spoiled! Ada's movement is getting stronger and stronger. Jordan's loving it! He can see her kick and roll... it amazes us how it never gets old. Now, my family is able to feel her kick. I love seeing the expressions on their faces when the feel here... pure joy! Sleeping through the night is getting a little more difficult. I've developed slight apnea just from the pregnancy and it only really affects me if I sleep on my back. So... I have to stuff pillows behind me so I stay on my side. The apnea plus the fact that I get up to use the restroom at least three times a night makes for difficult "good night's sleep"... I guess the Lord is just preparing me for those late night feedings that are coming here in a few months! In the grand scheme of things, I have nothing to complain about! I realize how blessed I am to have a healthy baby girl growing in my belly... a supportive and loving husband who adores his daughter already... a great family... and I really feel good!

Ada's developments this week... she's working hard, getting her lungs ready and packing on the pounds so she can be ready to live outside of my tummy :) She gained about a half a pound just this week (I'm sure I did too... lol)... She's getting bigger and bigger and things are getting a little crowded in there... I'm sure of it! Her ears are fully functional now, and she may even get startled at loud noises or sudden movements! She's getting used to the sounds she hears everyday in my womb... my heartbeat, my breathing, mine and Jordan's voices... etc. Her inner ear is fully developed as well, so her sense of balance is working. She can tell whether she is hanging upside down or right side up :) No wonder she kicks when I float in the pool on my stomach... poor thing's hanging upside down! She can also feel and sense my movements. She's still measuring at around a foot long, and she weighing in at around 1 1/3 pounds!

I have really been working on the nursery this week. Jordan was so sweet to give me my "nursery allowance" (we totally had to set a budget or else I'd go crazy spending money left and right!)... so I really went to town this week. I bought valances for the window, my grandmother and I used two of the valances and made a crib skirt, we bought a rug, a friend let me have a table she was getting rid of that I'm more than likely going to use as a changing table (thanks Jami and Katy :)... I made a little floral arrangement from an old box I found at the thrift store, I bought a crib sheet for the crib, and I made some homemade wall art... see... I told you I've been busy :) I'll end this weeks post with some pictures of what I've done in the nursery so far...

23 Week Update...

Today marks the 23 week mark. YAY! As I mark each week off on my calendar, I'm truly amazed at how fast things are going. I feel like it was just yesterday we heard her heart beat for the first time. Ada is definitely growing... how can I tell? My stomach is definitely growing! I'm not brave enough to post pictures yet... sorry :( But if you see me in person, you might think I am farther along than I actually am! I'm telling ya'll... this baby has NO ROOM but to grow out! I can see it now... I may have the worst pregnancy waddle.. umm.. EVER when I'm around the 35-40 week mark! Everyday, Ada's kicks get stronger and stronger. It's even keeping me up at night. Okay.. question for you mommies out there... was there any correlation between your babies wake/sleep patterns in your womb and their wake/sleep patterns as a newborn? I've heard different things... and I'm just curious :) So far everything has been pretty good... I still have some slight swelling in my feet and ankles at night. And... one day this week I had a little scare, I had been really busy and had not drank very many fluids that day. Anyway, my blood pressure kind of bottomed out and made me feel... not so good. But, thankfully, my sweet friend/sister Katy is in nursing school and knew exactly what to tell me to do to get it back up! Other than that... I feel great!

Ada's developments this week... she still has a while before her lungs will be ready for air. She's practicing "breathing" on the amniotic fluid by sucking it in and out of her lungs... yuck... Her fat production is in overdrive this week... in the next four weeks, Ada's weight will double! She's starting to look more and more "normal"... her skin is not quite as see-through and her body is looking more and more proportional... although her head is still a little big compared to her body. She' around 11.5 inches long and still weighing in around a pound (I've got a hunch that Ada might be a little bigger... :)

Nursery developments... we bought a glider and ottoman for the nursery and I LOVE IT! We found it at Walmart for a really good price. We were a little skeptical at first, but when we got it in... it was perfect!

22 Weeks!... Is That It?

Let me just start out by saying that if you don't want to hear me complain... skip this post :) No... I promise not to complain the whole time. Think of it more as me sharing "my feelings" that I've had over the past week.... yeah... that sounds better doesn't it? First of all, when I really stop and look back on it, this pregnancy has flown by. However, there are some weeks that I feel I'm just barely creeping along. This week has introduced "new" pregnancy stuff that I'm not sure I like. First of all... my belly is stretching... trust me, I have the marks to prove it. Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, my stomach is sore. It's almost as if it's grown and stretched during the night! I've also come to the conclusion that I'm going to get huge! I know everyone says that, so let me explain. I always knew I was short-waisted, but now I'm realizing just how short-waisted I am! I already can't breathe when I bend over... which reminds me... anyone have tips on how to teach your husband how to shave your legs and paint your toenails? I can't afford pedicures every couple of weeks... Anyway, back to getting huge... I just think since I've got a short waist, the only way I can grow is out! Also, are you ready for this... my feet swell! I've been really trying to watch my sodium and drink a lot of fluid, but at night... they swell. It's not a ridiculous amount... just enough to annoy me and warrant a foot massage from Jordan :) Okay, I think I've hit my limit complaining. I realized this week how thankful I am that I can feel my daughter move in my belly. Yes, there are times my bladder is a target (she's a great shot)... and yes, there are times I can't go to sleep because she's doing her thing... but, the comfort and peace that comes from being able to feel her move and know that she is still growing and forming, and the way her daddy's eyes light up and he grins from ear to ear as he watches my belly jump and feels her kicks... makes it ALL worth it!

So... Ada is 22 weeks along! She's around 11 inches long and finally... are you ready?... she weighs around one pound! Her hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have now developed a sense of touch! She's probably in there touching her face, grabbing the umbilical cord, etc... doing anything to test out her new ability! Right now, the hair on her head is bright white (isn't that cool?) No matter what color it will end up, her hair lacks its pigment at this point. She has started growing taste buds, so she can probably detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid...

Every week I am amazed at Ada's developments. The intricacy involved in knitting together this precious life is beyond my comprehension. It is a reminder of how intimate my God is. How he not only loves me, but He knows my heart, every hair on my head, every bone in my body, because HE knitted me together cell by cell! It also reminds me of what a gift Ada is for Jordan and me. That God would choose us to love and raise His child, His masterpiece, that He formed with His own hands!

In other news... there have been a couple more changes in the nursery. I modge-podged scrapbook paper onto wooden letters and hung her name above her bed. It was really, really easy! I highly recommend anyone try it if you're wanting to add a personal touch to a room in your house... I got all the supplies at Hobby Lobby and I did the whole thing for around $8!

I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Hobby Lobby's clearance section. You really have to keep a close eye out but when you do... you can find some GREAT deals. I found these little iron, antique tea pots for $4 a piece... then they had their silk flowers 50% off so I bought two stems to stick in there... I was really excited about how they turned out!

One more thing before I go... I've had so many people come up to me and tell me they read the blog. Jordan and I would love to know who all is sharing such a special time with us. If you have time, leave a comment, because this is the only way I know who reads it unless I run into you in person :)