3rd trimester, already?!

Time is flying by!! Hard to believe I am 28 weeks today and in my 3rd and final trimester. Only 84 more days to go! Most of our baby's growth is yet to come, but already, our little one is a whopping 2.25 pounds (about the weight of a chinese cabbage) and approximately 15 inches long from head to heal.

Paul and I were blessed to be able to spend 5 days last week in Maui for one last "hurrah", just the two of us! It wasn't 100% vacation for both of us, however, Paul did have lectures to attend from 8-12:30. While he was busy with his CME course (continual medical education), I enjoyed learning about creating healthy sleep habits for our baby, pool side, each day. The book is called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and I found it to be incredibly insightful. Once Paul was done with his class, he joined me in the lounge chairs, reading his book, "Parenting with Love and Logic." We understand that you cannot learn everything about parenting from a book, but we'd at least like to prepare ourselves with some tools before this little one joins us! We continue to ask the Lord to give us wisdom as we embark on our new journey as parents. Please, if you feel led, join us in praying for God's guidance to raise this child in a Christ-like manner. With all of the advice we are likely to read and hear, we desire to hear God's voice above all others in how to parent this gift from God.

A few photos from our trip to Maui...

View from our lanai

26 weeks, 4 days pregnant!

27 weeks, 3 days pregnant!

Wind surfers!

Beautiful Flamingo

One of the prettiest ducks we have ever seen

Out to dinner at Leilani's on the beach

Our happy family of 3 :)

I'm still feeling really good! We recently got a brand new mattress that is incredibly comfortable, which makes sleeping SO NICE!! My hips are no longer aching :) Both Paul and I are loving it!

Baby is VERY active most days and nights, which has been so much fun for Paul and I to feel and watch. Here is a link to a video of our baby doing the hula in my belly: HULA BABY

I have my 28 week doctor's appointment on Tuesday this week, where I will be tested for gestational diabetes and anemia. Praying for good results! It's been a real treat (literally) to be able to eat whatever "baby" wants ;) If I do have gestational diabetes, I will have to say good-bye to my sweet tooth...

Until next update~lots of love,

Paul, Gretchen, and Baby B

25 weeks

25 weeks: Baby is the size of a rutabaga

Our baby rivals the average rutabaga in weight -- about 1 1/2 pounds.

(Length: 13 1/2 inches, head to heel.)

Paul and I enjoyed a little getaway this past weekend in Bend, OR with some friends. We entertained ourselves with the local Corn Maze, shopping and dinner in the Old Mill District, lunch at the Deschutes Pub (YUMMY!!) and a tour of the Deschutes Brewery. As we drove home over the pass on Mt. Hood, the scenery changed from rain to a beautiful (yet scary) Winter Wonderland! It was so much fun to see SNOW again! I hope we have a white Christmas here in Vancouver this year, since we will be staying here for the first time ever!

Tank

View from the house

Corn Maze fun

Finishing with style :)

Friends

XOXO

Deschutes Brewery Tour

One of my friends discovered a brand new store here in Vancouver, called, "Cotton Babies!" They carry a wide variety of cloth diapers, unique clothes, toys, strollers, and mama gear. Paul and I decided early on that we would be doing cloth diapers, but I hadn't completely decided on which ones we would use. So, today, a few of us ladies headed over to Cotton Babies to check out all the different cloth diapers and I bought 3 different ones that we plan on using! It's crazy, but I'm so excited about these little packages that will soon be filled with #1 and #2 :)

Our first 3 cloth diapers!

We got a call last week stating that our changing table was in, so we picked that up tonight, too! Our nursery is just about finished...will post pics soon :) It was another "wow, thank you, Lord" kind of moment tonight as I watched Paul put together our changing table in the nursery. Baby was wiggling all over and my heart was overflowing with gratitude and joy for this gift. As I glanced up at the wall above our crib, I read the most beautiful words,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

I remembered the night we put our crib together, in faith, that one day we would be pregnant and here we are...it's truly a miracle. To God be the glory.

Love,

Paul, Gretchen, & Baby B

24 Weeks!

Baby has reached the length of this ear of corn and has gained about a 1/4 pound since last week. Length is now about a foot.

So, what's been happening with us the last 7 weeks? I've had 2 doctor's appointments (20 weeks and 24 weeks) and both have gone pretty well. At the 20 week ultrasound, we learned that I have partial placenta previa. That means that part of Baby's placenta is covering my cervix :( My doctor said that this happens to about 10% of pregnant women and usually by 32 weeks, it's no longer an issue. However, if for some reason, it is still covering part of my cervix, we will need to have a C-section and I will be put on some form of bed rest. So, we are praying for it not to be an issue and trusting God's plans for us all at the same time. Baby also was measuring in the 50 percentile, which is great!

At my recent 24 week appointment, Baby's heartbeat was about 149 bpm and my belly was measuring right on track. Next appointment will be at 28 weeks!

Paul and I are still amazed EVERY SINGLE DAY that we are pregnant with this precious miracle. Each day is such a gift! We are both enjoying feeling baby move (constantly) and have even nicknamed our little one "love-bug and snoodles".

Check out my umbilical cord!

Here's my 24 week profile

Paul took some 6 month maternity photos...here's a sampling...

Love,

Paul, Gretchen, and Baby B

Time to catch up!

17 week photos of Baby & Belly

Mom & Sister feeling the Baby

Paul & I in MN

MN State Fair!

3-D Ultrasounds

snuggling

sucking it's thumb :)

18 weeks: Baby is the length of a bell pepper

Baby is as big as a bell pepper and weighs almost 7ounces.

(Length: 5 1/2 inches, head to bottom.)

19 weeks: Baby is the size of a large heirloom tomato

Baby weighs 8 1/2 ounces.

(length: 6 inches, head to bottom)

Covering my ears

Giving us some love!

Love you, too, Baby!

20 weeks: Baby is as long as a banana

(Length: about 6 1/2 inches from head to bottom,

and 10 inches from head to heel.)

21 weeks: Baby is as long as a carrot

Baby -- currently the length of a carrot -- weighs about 3/4 of a pound.

(Length: 10 1/2 inches, head to heel.)

21 week belly

22 weeks: Baby is as long as a spaghetti squash

Baby has stretched to the size of a spaghetti squash and weighs almost a pound (nearly 11 inches in length)

23 weeks: Baby is the size of a large mango

Baby weighs about as much as a large mango -- just over a pound.

(Length: more than 11 inches.)