23 weeks

The baby is coming in 4 months!!!! Yay!! It is weird to think that we have less than a month left in the second trimester. Chris, my mom, and I have been doing some registry shopping lately and Chris was getting really excited. He wanted to tag anything that had a bear on it. :) And he was fascinated by all the high tech baby gear. It was so fun to see him get excited about picking out stuff for baby bear. He's so excited about our little boy!

Here's what "Bear" has been up to the past week: "A window into your womb would reveal that your baby's skin is a bit saggy, hanging loosely from his or her little body. That's because skin grows faster than fat develops, and there's not much fat to fill that skin out yet. But don't worry- the fat is about to start catching up. Beginning this week, your baby (who is around 8 inches long and just over a pound in weight) begins to pack on the pounds (which means you will, too!). In fact, by month's end, your baby will be double the weight he or she is now (fortunately, you won't be). Once those fat deposits are made, your baby will be less transparent, too. Right now, the organs and bones can still be seen through the skin, which has a red hue thanks to the developing blood veins and arteries just underneath. But by month 8, no more see-through baby!" -What to Expect

In other news, our area (New Braunfels) has been affected by the swine flu. I don't think there are any "confirmed" cases, but there are over 100 "probable" cases. They have closed all the schools and cancelled all public gatherings. Even mass was cancelled!! Fortunately no one in our family has been affected by it, other than we are all stuck at home with each other. :) But keep all those who are sick in your prayers! Hopefully this thing dies down as quickly as it started up.

I guess that's all for now. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We are entrusting everything to God. :)

Cinco Months!

Here's what was going on this past week: "Forget about ounces, baby. This week, we're talking a whopping weight of 1 pound and a length of nearly 8 inches, about the size of a small doll. But your doll is a living one- with developing senses, including touch, sight, hearing, and taste. What's your baby touching? He or she may grab onto the umbilical cord (there's not much else to hang onto in there) and practice the strong grip that will soon be clutching your fingers (and pulling your hair). What's your baby seeing? Though it's dark in the uterine cocoon- and even with fused eyelids- fetuses this age can perceive light and dark. If you shine a flashlight over your belly, you might feel your baby react, perhaps trying to turn away from the "bright" light. What's your baby hearing? The sounds of your voice and that of your partner, your heart beating, the whoosh-whoosh of your blood circulating through your body, those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, the dog barking, sirens, a loud TV. And what's your baby tasting? Pretty much everything you're tasting (so pass the salad)." - WtE

So the baby is one pound but the picture looks like he should weigh a little more. Haha! I tried the flashlight thing but he didn't do anything. Maybe he was sleeping. And I know that he's been having a treat for the ears with all the gas I've been having lately. We're getting closer to picking out a name. I'm not going to say what it is yet because we haven't officially decided. My mom did say that his middle name should be "holy"......then he'd be "something something Holy Moses"!! hahaha! Our poor boy.

Well, we are officially 5 months along now. Yay! The next doctor appt. will be the first week of May. Not sure if there is anything special that will happen at that one. Just a normal check up. We will write more again next week. Hope ya'll have a great weekend! God bless you.

Moving Right Along

As of today we are 21 weeks! One more week and I will officially be 5 months. Yes! I feel the baby every day now. Chris can feel him every once and awhile. It's hard to guess when he's about to give a good, swift kick. Sometimes when he's moving around I'll tell Chris to come put his hand on my stomach, or I'll put my hand on my stomach, and he'll just stop moving. He must be a little shy. Either that or we're invading his privacy. Haha! Apparently he can taste what I'm eating now so I'm trying to make sure I eat lots of fruits and veggies. For his sake and mine. Between my last two doctor appointments I gained 10 pounds! They were only a month apart! So I'm hoping that doesn't become a trend.

We hope you all had a blessed Easter. We were able to see Chris' family on Easter Saturday at his Granny's 80th birthday and on Easter Sunday we saw some of my family. It was a good weekend! Tomorrow we're going to Pflugerville to celebrate the little girl of Chris' cousin turning one! They grow up so fast! And speaking of family, I would like to give a shout out to my Aunt Angela. THANK YOU for the maternity clothes!

I don't have any pictures to put up this week. Maybe next week. Here's what the book said about baby developments this past week: "How big is baby this week? About 7 inches in length (think large banana) and almost 11 ounces in weight. And talking about bananas, you might want to eat some this week if you'd like your baby to have a taste for them. Some carrots, too. That's because amniotic fluid differs from day to day and depending on what you've eaten (hot chili one day, sweet banana the other), and now that yuor baby is swallowing amniotic fluid each day (for hydration, nutrition, and also to get practice swallowing and digesting), he or she will be getting a taste of- and a taste for- whatever's on your menu. Here's another baby update: Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. Which means that when your baby makes his or her moves (which you're probably feeling by now), they're much more coordinated- no more jerky twitches."

Thank you for all of your prayers. God hears them!! :) Let us know if there is anything you need us to pray for. God bless you!

Happy Bear

Hope ya'll are having a blessed Holy Week. We are now 20 weeks along. Halfway through the pregnancy! This past week seems like it took a lot longer to go by than the week before. I feel the baby move at least once a day now. He doesn't hit or kick strong enough for Chris to feel it yet, but this coming week his arms and legs will be growing and movements will become more coordinated so I am sure it won't be long.

We are super excited about having a boy and Chris is happy that the nickname "Bear" has completely caught on. I told Chris we could name the baby Theodore and then he could be our Teddy Bear. Chris didn't like that idea as much. Mom and I were fabric shopping and found some really cute polar fleece fabric. Mom is going to make a baby blanket. We thought it was perfect for our Baby Bear! I posted a picture of it below.


I am eating a ton of food now. Some days more than others, but overall a whole lot more than I used to. Apparently my eating habits are entertaining because I have attracted a variety of comments throughout the pregnancy. All I can say is I bet Bear likes my eating habits. :) Especially the nuts and berries....get it? Bears like nuts and berries...we're calling the baby "Bear". haha! I'm sure somebody out there will appreciate this.

Anyway, here's what happened this past week: "You've got a baby the size of a small cantaloupe in your melon-size belly this week, about 10 ounces and 6 1/2 inches (crown to rump). Your ultrasound this month should be able to detect- if you want to know- whether your baby is a boy or a girl [boy!!!]. And oh boy- or girl- has that baby been busy. If you're having a girl, her uterus is fully formed, her ovaries are holding about 7 million primitive eggs (though at birth, the number of eggs will be closer to 2 million), and her vaginal canal is starting to develop. If you're having a boy, his testicles have begun their descent from the abdomen. In a few months, they'll drop into the scrotum (which is still under construction). Luckily for your baby, he or she still has plenty of room in your womb, which means there's plenty of space for twisting, turning, kicking, punching, and even an occasional somersault. If you haven't felt these acrobatics yet, you almost certainly will in the coming weeks."

So that's pretty much it on this end. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We know they are working. The baby is healthy and Chris has found a good job here in New Braunfels. We are taking each day as it comes, waiting to see what God has in store for us. Oh! And for those who are interested, the Divine Mercy Novena starts tomorrow (Good Friday) and ends on Divine Mercy Sunday (the Sunday after Easter). Google "Divine Mercy Novena" and you'll be able to find the prayers for each day.

May God bless you and our Blessed Mother pray for you as we remember the death and celebrate the resurrection of our Lord!

It's a Bear!!!

The doctor appt. went really well this morning. We have pictures!! It's a boy! Chris said "I told you!". haha. It was so cool to be able to see him and all his little parts and his movements. Adorable!! So needless to say we are super excited. Thanks be to God!!

Boy or Girl?

We have been taking everyone's guesses on whether they think the baby will be a boy or girl. Most people have said boy (augh!) but a couple have said girl. If all goes well at the appointment tomorrow we should be able to find out for sure! I will post again to let ya'll know whether or not we found out and what it is if we did find out. We are super excited!

As of today I am 19 weeks along. This is what's going on this week with the baby: "This week your baby is hitting the growth charts at 6 inches long and a full half pound in weight. What fruit is it this week? Your baby's about the size of a large mango. A mango dipped in greasy cheese, actually. Vernix caseosa- a greasy white protective substance (it resembles cheese)- now covers your baby's sensitive skin, protecting it from the surrounding amniotic fluid. Without that protection your baby would look very wrinkled at birth. The coating sheds as delivery approaches, but some babies born early are still covered with vernix at delivery." -What to Expect When You're Expecting.

So that's pretty much what's up for now. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We are always in need of prayers! God has done so much for us and we are eternally thankful to Him and to all of you that have helped us along the way. God bless you!

P.S. This photo was taken right after dinner so I am convinced that some of that belly is not baby. :)