30 Weeks...Generous Growth

Today is officially 30 weeks. I have a friend that I have e-mailed with consistently since I was about about 18 to 20 weeks. She lives in the South, so I don't actually see her, but we had been pregnancy buddies. She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy not so long ago, and it sort of struck a chord in me. I remember when she was sending me an email saying she was at 30 weeks and now here she is a MOM! It doesn't seem like that 30 week email came too long ago!


I am happy, actually THRILLED to be at 30 weeks! Some of the things that have come along with it? Let me share:

• The tired feeling is creeping back in. I'm finding it very easy to lie down for a nap lately. I was doing great energy wise until just a few weeks ago. I'm okay with being tired though...my body is hard at work making a baby! It's nothing that is unmanageable, and my husband is very encouraging of me taking a nap whenever I need to! This afternoon I laid down for what I thought would be about 20 minutes. An hour later he was coming in to wake me up! I said, "I thought you were going to wake me up earlier!" His reply? "You were so asleep...I didn't want to disturb you!" Aw, thanks Sweetie!

• I have suddenly GROWN! Our doctor has let us know that this baby is growing generously. She did not say that I was growing generously, but that the baby is...it was good for me to hear the difference, although I think you will see when you look at this week's picture that it sort of looks like the growth is me a bit too! However, weight gain continues to be on track, and I'm feeling good overall. Apparently the baby is measuring about two weeks ahead of schedule! Hmmm...I really don't know what that means! Again, this wee one-or not so wee after all-seems to be taking after its Dad! Dad was a big baby, as were Kevin's two brothers. I am definitely no longer the girl that people can't tell is pregnant! I definitely don't have belly envy anymore.

• Kevin felt the baby move! Hurray! Our little one moves pretty erractically. Between that and the fact that my placenta has been muffling the movement to even me, he hadn't yet felt Baby move. I was feeling TERRIBLE about this, but he didn't seem that bothered. He said it would happen when it was supposed to, and he was right, like he often is! Since he felt it though, he seems to be trying to feel it move a lot more often! He had some precious words to share with our babe this morning in bed...I can't share them, because they are so special and private, but they made tears come to my eyes.

• We received the most beautiful book from my good friend Amanda this week. She is a friend from WAY back...I think we first became friends in 1st grade! It is called "God Gave Us You" by Lisa Tawn Bergren. Oh dear, we picked up the package while running some errands yesterday. I ripped it open and started reading the book as we were driving to the next location and I was sitting there just crying in the car. I can't wait to read it to our little baby, because the words ring so true. It is a book that I have actually never seen before-a bit shocking because I almost always give friends books when a new baby is born-and I think it will definitely become one of my new favorites!

• I am just a day and a half from being done with teaching. I will still be at work until June 27th, but not actually teaching, as it will be finals weeks. Wow, this year went by quickly, but I have to admit, I am ready for summer to be here! I think that I am probably one of the most blessed women in the world. I will have almost two full months off before the baby is born, but thanks to the way that teachers get paid, I will still be getting paid my full paycheck during that time, and I won't be starting my maternity leave until the baby is actually born! It's a precious gift that I definitely do not take for granted! Kevin and I are looking forward to using the next two months to get prepared for the baby's arrival. We currently just have a whole bunch of stuff that has been given to us in a pile in our front room. Organization is greatly needed!

Well, it's time for me to get off of this computer and spend a little time watching the US Open with my hubby. Is Tiger going to win? I don't know! It's close! I wonder if our Baby will golf? Both Daddy and I both do! Here are the pictures for this week. Kevin was snap-happy and caught me off guard and talking in one of them, something I think he quite enjoyed.

Oh yeah, one last thing: my belly button is STILL an innie! Yay! Maybe it's that wonder Cocoa Butter Cream my little sister sent me at the beginning of the pregnancy!