EIGHT MONTHS! Whew. . . we can do this! May take a little more effort to conquer the small tasks, but the end is in sight! I think I'm getting used to rolling out of bed like a walrus, or adding some crawling movements into the process of getting up off the floor. I have now mastered putting a shoe on sideways - this is the trick! Why didn't anyone tell me?

Chloe wiggles like crazy when she's awake. . .and wiggles like crazy when she is asleep. I jinxed myself by saying she hardly wakes me up at night. . .unless week 32 is when the baby decides it time to teach the parents what it's like to wake up multiple times through out the night. So - the the droopy eye syndrome has begun. I wake up each morning feeling like I've been out partying. Yes I can hear the giggles of readers saying "oh you just wait" :)

So this 23 hour a day wiggler is just in time for pumpkin season as she is the size of a SQUASH! Yeah, I'm being squashed by squash! She's preparing for birth by moving into the head down position. Although she still likes to spin around and head butt a rib. But we know that she is aware that the head down position is where she needs to be focusing her attention. She is still wiggling her little fingers which is the weirdest sensation - feels like she's tickling me. It's going to be interesting to see her mimic those same movements when she outside the womb. Maybe she'll be a piano player? or take after my Gramps and play the guitar? Yeah, that must be it :) Gramps, you have a little one that will be seeking your expertise in a couple of years!

Chloe's bedroom is coming along nicely. We still have a few more necessities that need to be checked off the list - but no worries - we still have some time before she arrives. I'm currently seeking book shelving options as well as pictures for her walls. Jon is making the book shelves as they need to be a little more custom to fit into the space we're working with. As for the pictures. . .

I've also officially started packing the hospital bag! Early? Nah - you never know. . .

Complaints of the week? Sore and swollen legs and fingers, exhaustion, muscle aches, ligament pain. . .lack of sleep and boy oh boy have I been uncomfortable.

What do I miss? Sleeping on my stomach, being able to bend down. . .a good proper hug!

Week 33 involves another doctor's appointment - and I think I might sneak in a prenatal massage to help these weary muscles :)

Til next week! See you.

:) look at Gabe's leaf mustache!

Mr Gabe Thomas

and the one and only Jackson Turner

Happy Fall ya'll!

We have made it through the final week of month 7!

31 weeks 5 days

Chloe had a growth spurt. As a result I now waddle, especially in the evening when I'm feeling exhausted. Even Jon made a comment. I walked into the laundry room the other night and the floor creaked. . .that was good for the self esteem :) I have 7 lbs left to go to reach my minimum weight goal - and 7 weeks to go before I hit week 38. I'm liking the sound of 38 rather than 40. I hope Chloe does too.

Chloe and I had our 9th appointment on Tuesday.

Our late night rendezvous to the ER last Saturday night. . . {in which we: 

Negative: 

• pulled an all nighter
• obtained a nice big bruise from the IV 
• reacted negatively to the glue on the EKG stickers
• subjected Chloe to radiation
• shivered to death from the subzero ER temperatures

• got to spend what almost calculated as being a whole extra day with Jon
• learned that cuddles and love really do calm the soul
• Chloe is very responsive to her mommy and enjoys long nights together
• Jon will give up his sleep at the drop of a hat
• at 2am we can get to the hospital in 10 minutes
• ...we've been blessed to have such an incredibly healthy pregnancy and this was our reminder } 

As we left 30 weeks behind and found the day after - yes, week 31, we didn't realize what else we would find. . .the true appreciation for each other, the life we have . . .and the appreciation for our little baby yet to make her entrance. Why can't we realize just how fortunate we are without having to be shown? We had to be shown, I suppose. 

. . . and she is getting to be a heavy little bubba! This week Chloe weighs somewhere in the 3lb range. Hard to know for sure, but I can tell you that when she's bouncing off the diaphragm or kicking my ribs with those stellar hamstrings, I can feel every ounce of her little being :) She tends to hang out on the right side of my belly alot - this is where she likes to push up on her legs and arms and see how far the right side of my belly stretches. I'm sure glad the stomach muscles can't snap like a rubber band, otherwise I could be facing the possibility of this :)

We had a good birthing class last Tuesday. It's been a while since I had the privilege of playing with dollies. . .and I can't say that Jon has done it any time recently either. So for the entire evening we were tasked with ensuring our little plastic humans were diapered, clothed, swaddled and bathed. I was so impressed with my sweet hubby's tenderness as he treated the plastic Chloe as if she were the real thing :) I took some pics of him diapering the baby doll, but I don't know if I could get him to agree to publishing them. I think the thing that stood out the most for us in this week's class was the 9 steps of instinct following the birth of a baby. It's incredible how a baby - not even 60 seconds into this world - begins the bond with the mom. They're such simple steps - but hold so much meaning.

This week we have our final birthing class. We also have another doctor's appointment - we get to hear Chloe's little heart beat every two weeks now, instead of once a month. This can only mean that her birth is getting closer and closer!

29 weeks 5 days

So here we are - at the 29th week. I'm still amazed at the 4D ultrasound pictures. I've downloaded a few onto my phone and I steal a few minutes each day to look at this incredible little girl forming in my belly and am amazed at creation. The process of growing a baby from the outside looks like a simple expansion process - but when you really think about how that little being is forming cell by cell...it really is amazing. I'm in love with Chloe's little nose and lips - can't wait to see what she looks like in person :)

Do you remember when Chloe was the size of a poppyseed? Feels like just yesterday - today she is the approx. size of an acorn squash!  A plump one at that. She hasn't learned any new tricks this week, but she continues to develop those she has learned. Jon was able to hear her heartbeat by putting his ear to my tummy...week 26 is the earliest you can hear the heartbeat through the belly, so we patiently waited for 3 weeks, when suddenly there were the galloping hooves at 140 beats a minute!

The baby nursery is coming along really nicely. I managed to get some Amazon shopping in a couple days ago so the packages are starting to arrive on the front step. I ordered her crib mattress off Amazon - that was a first. Didn't think I'd ever order a mattress online - but having the postman do the heavy lifting was rather convenient! The best item of the week by far is the hand made owl made by a friend - he's so darn cute he deserves a special mention on this blog, as well as his picture - so look below for Chloe's new friend :)


This morning, as I was catching my breath after putting on my right shoe. . . it occurred to me that there have been 3 very distinct and memorable moments in this pregnancy so far.

1. Finding out that we were expecting a baby. That sheer moment of incredibleness...you can't even put into words. There are not words - only emotions. . .and actions i.e your eyeballs popping out your head with absolute shock :) Your heart skips about 1000 beats in the span of a second. If the moment of finding out Chloe's existence was as unbelievable as it was, then I can hardly contain myself for the moment she arrives :)
2. The first time I felt movement. 11 weeks. Place: Cabo, Mexico. We were laying in bed  on evening enjoying quiet time when the next moment Chloe did a combo of a speedy jumpjack cross leap and stopped me in my tracks. I thought the movements would start subtly but with her they started with a bang!
3. Seeing her sweet face for the first time. Again, no words - only emotions. Amazing. I can't wait to trace those cute little lips with my finger tip and promise her love always. . .

So, our little Chlo-worm - one day you'll read this and know that from the moment God created you and made your presence known to us, we have been amazed by you. The last 29 weeks we've gone through every single happy emotion known to man. . .and the closer we get to your arrival, the bigger those happy emotions grow. There is so much we don't know - and we'll fumble along the way as we learn who you are and learn our new role as parents - {and learn how to setup your nursery in a convenient, non complicated manner!}...but we'll learn and you'll hopefully be patient with us as we do.  As your daddy and I promised to each other 8 years ago - to stand beside each other, through sickness and in health, through good and through bad...we will stand by you and love you and do our part to show you the world, show you God's love and show you that you are incredible! . . .So you have about 10 more weeks of baking. . .10 weeks to prepare for the rest of your life! {and we have 10 weeks to figure out how to install a car seat...among a million other things!}

Here is the nursery so far. . .



Her swing location is only temporary, as her rocker will go in the corner. Once her curtains, bumper etc are in the place, the room will start looking cozy :)