{29 Weeks}

This week has been a fun week. I have been feeling the baby move and kick more during the day. He is also showing off to his dad. Dave has been able to feel and see my belly misshape. I have been feeling pretty good during the day but when I lay down at night I can definitely feel how heavy he is getting because my lower back is aching. So I have Dave message my lower back to loosen up the muscles. I am getting up more often to use the bathroom and sleeping on my side is getting old. I would just love to be able to sleep on my belly but that wish wont be granted for another couple of months. I use two wedge pillows from "Boppy" which helps support my belly. I heard that the 3rd trimester only gets harder and I didn't believe it at first. Now I know what they are talking about; it is very uncomfortable and the baby is getting heavier and is pulling on my back and stomach muscles.
I am usually a huge fan of bumps as I drive down the road. I would go out of my way to hit some. But now I avoid them, just the thought of bumps makes my belly scream.


Baby's Developments....
Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice).

Our Town House

We are finally moved into our town house. We are loving the fact that it is more spacious, has more windows, a bigger kitchen, a bigger master bedroom and the location is perfect.
Here are pictures of our place.

{28 Weeks}

I can't believe that I am now at 28 weeks. This pregnancy sure has flown. During the first trimester it felt like I was pregnant forever. Since then I decided to stop thinking about the pregnancy and focus on enjoying the time that I have with just my husband.
As each week goes by I think about how our life is going to change. No more just mine and Dave's time, no more lets stay up late and watch a movie together, no more spontaneous grocery shopping, no more quiet and clean house, no more breakables laying around, and no more just getting me ready in the day.
At the same time I am so ready to have this little man here so we can teach him the gospel, teach and show him god's creations, teach him how to pray, his dad can teach him how to play basketball, teach him how to read, and to watch him grow and learn about everything.
This week I went to my monthly check-up and we got the test results back from the Glucose test. Their was no problems. We also had our last ultrasound. This was to find out how his kidney's are developing. With the first ultrasound, both kidney were dilated to .45 millimeters. The doctor said that it could be the ureter tube (They drain the urine from the kidneys to the bladder for storage until you're ready to go.) could have a kink because of how squished he is and once he comes out, it may resolve itself. Once he enters into this world they will do an ultrasound on him to see if that was the problem or if it's something more serious. All I can do is pray and have faith that it will work out.
Dave and I had so much fun watching him again. He has definitely grown and we could see more details. As we were watching he would put his hand up by his face and move it around trying to figure out what it was. The ultrasound nurse said that he was breeched(his head is up by my left ribs and his but is on the right side down by my pelvic bone). The nurse showed some footage of his face pressed up against my stomach and his arms and a leg were all twisted by his head. What a silly boy, I am sad it was our last time to see him.
Aunt Dede told me to do 10 cat and cow exercises (stretching like a cat and arching my back like a cow) morning and night to help pull the baby down and it helps him move more easily.

Baby's Growth...
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Dave's Birthday

On Dave's actual birthday (29th) we didn't do much celebrating. Instead Dave went to work, he came home and we packed our apartment for the big move on Saturday. Such an exciting Birthday, but the fun began the next day. Although, he did get cake at work after everyone sung Happy birthday!
On the 30th it was time to celebrate Dave's BIG day. At 5:30pm we headed to Aunt Sues and Uncle Kris house to set up for out BBQ and Basketball evening. It was extremely warm and we were very grateful for some cloud coverage. We ate hamburgers and yummy side dishes that our friends brought. Afterwords the men got together and played a couple of games of Basketball while the rest of us sat and visited. I surprised Dave with "The DOTTIE" (An ode to pineapple upside down cake. Smothered in vanilla whipped cream and accented with toasted coconut) cake from The Chocolate. It is a very delightful treat.
Story behind this Cake. On Monday I went in to order the cake for the coming Friday. I told the lady I needed it for this coming Friday the 30th of July. She told me it would be ready at Friday at 12pm. So, I go and pick it up and I tell them my name and it takes her a little bit before she come back and asks "When are you suppose to pick this up and what is your name again?" I tell them and they (ladies in the back kitchen) are looking puzzled. She finally finds the request forms and she says okay, so you want it for the 30th of August? No, I need it for today. So, my order isn't even on the right date and I need it for tonight. I couldn't believe it. She finally thought of an idea and she gave me a cake with 3 missing slices and she had me pick out another cakes slices to replace the missing pieces. I picked out cake pieces from "The Husband" (Moist yellow cake layers separated by milk chocolate ganache, drenched in more ganache and dressed with chocolate mosaic pieces.) All I was grateful for was I got the cake. Over all it turned out to be a fun birthday.
It was a wonderful evening spending time with our family and friends. We had the Brunners (Kayla and Jesse), the Morrows (Kelsi, Brenden, Chase, and Paxton), the Sorensens (Aunt Sue, Uncle Kris, Kody, Kenny and Kris and his wife Chelsey) and my family (David, Vallie, Britnie, Spencer and Skylar).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 30 BOY!

{27 Weeks}

I love being pregnant and I love watching my stomach grow each day because it reminds me that I am truly pregnant and it isn't a dream. I am feeling him move more and more each day. I was laying in bed one Tuesday morning and I felt him kick at the top of my rib cage. I thought to my self, "Oh my, he must be getting bigger and having less room to move if he has to kick that high to stretch." As I am writing this he is kicking constantly in the same spot near my pelvic bone (feels like a heart beat with spasms.) Their are times where I won't be paying any attention to my stomach and I swear their is a leg pushing and causing my stomach to be pushed out for a few seconds. I can't wait until Dave can see his little movements.
This past week I had my glucose screening test (also called a glucose challenge test or GCT)(This test checks for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy-related high-blood-sugar condition.) The drink was the most disgusting thing alive. I had to fast for 12 hours, then in the morning drink the glucose drink and a hour later get my blood drawn. I absolutely hate getting my blood drawn, so I had my husband come to support me. I thought that he would be their holding my hand but instead he was sitting on a nearby chair just waiting. Afterwords he claims he was their to get me when I fainted. Silly boy. I guess next time I will have to specify that I want him their to hold my hand.
I am not having any weird cravings, but I have been craving Ice Cream and Ovaltine (Chocolate milk).


How he is growing...
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on.

A Fun Night

On Monday August 9th, Dave and I took our nephew Spencer swimming at the Scera Pool. He is such a fun boy to be around. He always brings a smile to our faces and does the silliest things to make us laugh. We had fun chasing him around the pool and Dave taught him how to dogie paddle. Spencer also learned that he could jump of the side of the pool by himself.

{26 Weeks}

I was making dinner and wasn't paying any attention to wear my belly was when I looked down I noticed that it was just inches away from getting burned on the pan. I thought to myself, "I have to pay close attention to this thing, that could have been a disaster." I often forget that I have a big belly to watch over.
I am loving the fact that Dave is getting more use to the fact that we are having a baby. He will pat my belly, he thinks by talking through my belly button the baby will hear him better, and he calls him by name. I know deep down inside he is so excited for this little thing to come so he can teach him all that he needs to know.
As I look down at my belly, I am in aw at how a human being can grow inside be. It brings a smile to my face knowing that this person inside me is mine and that the Lord trusts me with one of his sons.



Baby's Milestones...
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. He's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

{25 Weeks}

Pregnancy life is going well. I am not feeling too big and I have energy. I feel the baby kick every so often, mostly at night when I am relaxed. A lot of people have mentioned to me that I look small for my week. I guess I am carrying my baby more to the back or he is just going to be a small little guy. I am totally fine with that because delivering wont be as hard.
The closer I get to my due date the more deathly afraid I am of delivering this guy. Can't I just pop him out with out feeling him come out? I hate blood and needles and those are everywhere during delivery. I think I will be able to handle the pain part, but the whole thing of him coming out scares me. I am planning on taking Brady classes so I can be more prepared. I know that I don't want a C-Section and I am going to try to do this birth naturally. I have heard mixed feelings and some say to have an epidural and some say having it naturally is the best way to go. I don't know my body very well for giving births, so I am going to try naturally then if the pain is unbearable then I will do an epidural. I hope when I take the Bradley classes it will help ease my fears.

How he is growing..
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair.

{White Fish} Montana

We headed to Whitefish, Montana to spend the week with Dave's family. My mom came and picked us up at 7:30am Saturday morning.
If we left the driving schedule to Dave we would hardly use any brakes along the way and we would drive over the speed limit and just cruse and we would leave at 2 in the morning. We call him the Nazi navigator.
East of Missoula, Dave the navigator along with Tom (our GPS system) took us on a 10 minute dirt road ride. This is not like Dave to want to take a short cut that takes us on a dirt road. It was sure a beautiful ride though, but my mom and I couldn't believe we were on this road.
We arrived in Whitefish around 6pm and just crashed on the coach.
The next day was Sunday and we enjoyed our day looking at the downtown shops and getting the yummiest Huckleberry shakes in Hungry Horse.
Monday was a cold and rainy day. We spent the day relaxing around at the cabin
Tuesday was a beautiful day with the sun shining so we were able to get on the boat and the wave runners. Dave learned how to wake board and he did surprising well. I did drive the wave runners and rode in the boat being 6 months pregnant. I didn't do anything too crazy to harm my little man. We spent all afternoon soaking up the "Big Sky" sun.
Wednesday morning was sprinkling just a little so we all decided to head up the mountain to go ride the gondola and walk around the top of the mountain. The view was breath taking, but the wind was blowing and it was freezing. After we came down the mountain the girls and the kids headed back to the cabin while the 3 boys stayed to ride the zip lines.
Thursday rained once again. But, around 2pm it started to clear out just a little. Blanche, Doug, Mom, Dave, and I headed to the lake to enjoy the afternoon. It decided to get cloudy and sprinkle, but it lasted for about 30 minutes before the sun came out for the rest of the afternoon.
Friday it rained all day. We went to Kalispell's mall, then met the Shipley's (Heather, Dan and their 2 kids, Dan's brother David and his wife Val and their 3 kids) and Doug and Blanche at Bajio's to have lunch. Afterwords, we went to the Conrad Manson. Built in 1895 as the home of Charles E. Conrad, a Montana pioneer, Missouri River trader, freighter, and founder of the city of Kalispell. It was so much fun to go back in time and see
Saturday we headed home. We left at 8am and got home around 7:30pm. How grateful I was to have my mom's help to drive those long hours. Being pregnant and driving took it's toll on me.
It is always nice to head up to Whitefish to go and visit Dave's family. We don't get to see them often and we enjoyed every moment of it.


The back country. "Short Cut"




My mom is deathly afraid of heights.








Dan, David Shipley and Dave riding the sip lines at Big Mountain.







The water was freezing. Dave's fake it's warm smile.