26 weeks

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

Another exciting milestone for her: her eyes are starting to open!!!

Closer to meeting you...

Dearest daughter,

Even though sometimes I feel like the weeks are creeping by I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that you will be here in 14 short weeks. It is even crazier to think that you could make an appearance sooner than that!

I'm feeling you move more and more in my belly. It makes me sad sometimes that your Daddy can't feel you as much as I can but it makes me feel honored to be carrying you. Honored to be your mother.

There are times when I feel so many emotions at once that it just makes me want to cry. I think about how wonderful it will be to finally meet you. You have already blessed my life so much! You have made me realize the true joy in life and you have fulfilled my dream of being a mommy. If ever I was born to do something I know it was to be a mother. Thank you, precious one, for making this dream come true.

I may not know what or who you will look like and I may not know if you will have my patience or your daddy's ambition but I do know that you were wonderfully made just as you are. And I will love you forever.. just as you are.

I can't imagine loving you more than I do now but I just know that when I meet you and finally see you my heart will grow even more! I can't wait to have you in my arms! I'm so glad you are mine!

I love you!

Mommy

First Fest 2009

Me, John and Jake headed to First Fest and had such a good time! There was so much for Jake to do and he had a blast! And to top it all off we got to see Sergio, Laura and precious Matteo!!

After First Fest we worked up an appetite so we went and ate some sushi!

Such a fun evening!

Belly Pic - 25 weeks

25 weeks

What's going on with baby: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

What's going on with Mommy: Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.

Doctor Update and Survery Time

I had my 24 week doctor appointment yesterday! I have gained 3 pounds! Dr. T measured my belly and we are right on track with 24 inches! Perfect! (FYI...Your belly is supposed to measure the same for the week you are in.) Before we saw the doctor the nurse used the Doppler to hear Joc's heartbeat and she put the COLD gel on my belly and my little girl DID NOT like that! (I have a feeling we have a feisty little girl on our hands!) She started moving immediately. But it was so cool because we could HEAR her movements! That's a first for us! So cool! Her heart was beating strong at 154! My next appointment will be in 4 weeks and I will be doing the dreaded test for gestational diabetes! Dun Dun Duuuuun!

Survey Time:
How far along: 24w4d
Total weight gain: 3 pounds!
Maternity clothes: Oh yes! So comfy!
Sleep: Still good! I sleep pretty hard!
Best moment this week: Hearing her move on the Doppler
Movement: Every day! She is still active at night but it starting to get really active around mid-morning.
Gender: Girl!
Labor signs: None!
Belly button: Still in but it is getting more shallow.
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach!!!
Food cravings this week: Sushi.
Milestones: Hearing her on the Doppler!

One more thing (so that I have record of this and always remember it)... last night we laid in bed and she started moving A LOT and she must have been angry that Mommy laid done! She was kicking and pushing up against the right side of my belly. Now John has only felt her 3 times and he has been dying to feel her again but she has been a little stubborn (like her Daddy :)) and every time John puts his hand on my belly she stops moving! Well last night John was able to feel her kick multiple times and when he put his face on my belly to talk to her she kicked him in the head! So cute! John was so proud! :) Oh I love this little girl so much!

What a Man, What a Man...

I expressed in a previous post just how hard this pregnancy has been for me.

I just have to say that I would not be able to take it day by day if it weren't for my a-ma-zing husband. He has been so wonderful through all of this. He has seen me at my worst in this pregnancy and he has been such a sweetheart. It takes a real man to hold his wife's hair when she is puking in the toilet or to stop everything he is doing at 10 o'clock at night and go to the store because his pregnant wife is craving angel food cake and come back with angel food cake AND strawberries and whip cream to put on top of it! John has shown such a new and protective love since I got pregnant. He is always making sure that I feel fine and that the baby is ok. I know he is going to be such a great daddy! He has not once complained about having to do a little extra and he hasn't once hesitated when I asked him to do something. I love him so much and I am so thankful for him!

Belly Pic - 24 weeks

Close up:

My bump, my bump, my lovely little bump!

Spiritual Momentum

Amy shared something this morning in our staff meeting that really spoke to me and more or less convicted me. I wanted to share some of it with you.

First let me share this scripture with you:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12: 1-3

Momentum is defined as forward force or speed of movement.

So let me ask you... what do you want to do 5 years from now?
That's an easy answer for me. When Amy asked this I didn't even have to think twice about it.
I want to be a stay at home mom with my child(ren).

She then asked... what can you do today to contribute to your future vision?
This question wasn't as easy to answer. It took me a while to think about it.
The one thing that I can do is PRAY. Pray that God would provide for us in a way that would allow me to stay at home. And pray that God would provide John with not just a job that supports us but a job that will make him happy.

Three things to do Today:
1. Find strength from those who have gone before.
Find someone that has been through what you are trying to accomplish. I have a very dear friend (you know who you are) that kept faith in the Lord and trusted that He would provide for her and her family and He totally did in amazing. amazing ways!!! I find strength in her story and I find strength in her!
2. Do something to defeat your dark side.

Psalm 139 - The Lord knows everything about you.

Nothing is hidden from his sight.

My dark side is the lack of faith that I put in God. My flesh wants to believe what the world is telling me about this plummeting economy. Instead I need to turn to the Lord and trust Him. How can I not trust Him? Reading His word there are multiple reminders about his guidance:

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you and to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Jeremiah 29:11

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm"

Psalm 37:23

"In his heart a man plans his course but the Lord determines his steps."

Psalm 16:9

"but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Proverbs 1:33

3. Do something only you can do.

You're the only one that can care for yourself.

You're the only one who can be a wife to your husband or a mother to your child.

You're the only one who can stay broken before God.

This particular thing is the one that got me. It's the one that put a dagger in my heart and twisted it. I'm the only one that can stay broken before God. I'm the only one that can pick up that Bible and read His Word every day for myself. I'm the only one that can open my own heart to Him. No one can do it for me. I'm the only one to blame.

The best thing that can happen for your life

is for you to know Christ intimately.

I am definitely not as good as explaining things like Amy is but I hope that you can make something out of this mess that I just posted. Whether it be to face your dark side or find strength, I hope that you get something out of this like I did.

First Fest

Do you have plans for Halloween?

Want to do something extra fun with the family?

Come out to Houston's First and enjoy a fun evening with activities like

mini-coaster, petting zoo, pony rides, dunking booths and many, many more!

Plus all the candy you can eat!

Saturday, October 31

4-8pm

Guests of Houston's First are FREE!

For more information click here! Hope to see you out there!