32 weeks!!

Yesterday marked 32 weeks and boy has time flown!! She's growing fast and running out of room!! I was just thinking last night as we sat on the couch for some down time that it's kind of sad when your stomach becomes a main source of entertainment for the two of you! I'm pretty sure she's head down now, and probably been that way for a couple of weeks (I just didn't recognize some of the signs until they mentioned it at lamaze class). Liz is certainly a hiccup girl (which I feel all down in the pelvic area) and likes to stick her booty out :-) I'll be curious to see if any of that continues after she's born. 

Lamaze has been great, better than I expected it to be. I knew I would learn and it would be helpful, but I had heard stories of ho-hum teachers who talk all about how it was done in the "old days" and/or the focus being on stuff I've already learned from various sources. If you know anyone looking for a good class like this with a good teacher, the Lamaze class taught by Rebecca at St. Vincent is where we are. 

I feel really affirmed in most of our decisions and well informed, the only thing that I'm struggling with now is the epidural. I never thought I'd say that!! LOL Well, maybe, sort of. Basically it comes down to wanting to be able to walk around, get into diff positions and such to help Liz out as much as possible, but obviously can't do that once you get the Epi. Turns out there is such thing as a low dose, or "walking" epidural, but my luck- it's not really offered in the U.S. (or at least in most of it; most important fact of that being not in Indiana). I'd really like to have a vaginal birth, but more often than not you end up with a c-section when you have an epidural. oye!!! So I think Billy and I talked about it and agreed that we will get as far as we can and then take one step at a time. If that includes meds, then so be it. If not, well hey! cool beans! 

Billy did laugh when someone warned him about the potential of me yelling at him during labor, blaming him for all of it :-) He told them that wasn't in my personality to yell at anyone, but then I corrected him...

if I yell at anybody...it'll be Eve...

Bless his heart, I just want to make sure he'll be alright. Don't get me wrong, I do not think he will faint or get sick or anything like that.  For those of you who know him well, you'll see what I mean. I get worried about him being worried about me! lol doesn't make sense sort of but it's hard seeing someone you love in pain and not being able to do much about it. He's that tender soul that I think that will affect more than many I know. 

I know for certain though that I probably won't see anyone happier, more joyful, eyes with tears, etc than him when she actually arrives. He, we both, are so excited for her to join our family and have been saying for awhile now (even before we were preggers) that the house just seems like it needs something more, that it's missing something. God is so good and had blessed us with so much that we had no clue as to what that could possibly be. Now I think we know though... we're waiting for our little girl. We've been waiting to have toys all over the house, messy meals, laughter, tears, questions, loose teeth, crazy schedules, and so much more. 

Our one prayer is this, that we continue to walk in His shadow bringing along with us our Lizzie and anyone else that might come along for the adventure...

Time is flying!!

We just had our 29 week check up on Tuesday and though I knew we were in the home stretch, it was still a bit of a shocker when I sat down and they planned the next handful of visits going every other week and then once a week!! Oh my goodness!! Good news is she is looking great still and a huge blessing - I do not have gestational diabetes!! We didn't figure as much considering my weight so far and all the other signs that weren't there but it is good to know!!

Billy chuckles every time I get up from the couch or in/out of the car. Bless his heart, he says it's cute but I have yet to see how that is "cute." All I can say is that I am looking forward to getting new break pads on the van so I can at least stop the teasing when I get in/out of the cars!! Hopefully we can get them done before we go down to southern Indiana for our second shower; it will be a lot more comfortable if we can. 

Billy got to feel Lizzie hiccup for the first time the other night and was cracking up at it! She gets them pretty frequently, and though funny and sweet now, mommy is not looking forward when Lizzie gets them towards the end of the pregnancy!!! It's hard to believe she's probably over two pounds now and from what we can estimate, probably about 15 in or so long! Hard to tell though unless we get another ultrasound because she's got those long legs she likes to make sure mommy remembers she has! lol 

Billy asks such sweet questions and we get into such fun conversations about how she's growing and developing. When I mentioned a couple weeks back that she was getting the hiccups, he asked how that worked when she's not breathing air and such (good question!). We talked about how she's practicing her lungs with the amniotic  fluid and just were both in awe of the miracle that is happening in me right now. Though science has explained the fundamentals of how conception, growth and birth happen, it simply highlights and displays how much of a miracle it is and how life is beautifully created by the Master Creator!! Liz has one foot in heaven and one here on earth right now...I think that's why I cry anytime I see a birth or newby - almost being able to see the fingerprints of God on that little one. How amazing and awe-inspiring!! The God of the universe, the judge, Lord, creator, sustainer, master, etc is so personally creating and molding a new life inside of me, changing not only that her life is now added to the mix, but Billy and I's response to Him. How better an illustration be made for how He loves us than for us to know the love for our daughter! We can not help but to respond!!! I am in awe of it and pray to listen well the lessons He longs to teach me, so not only can I grow and continue to be molded in to His image but that I may be a part of guiding Lizzie to grow and continue to be molded.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 

~ 1 Jn 3:1