6 more weeks as a family of two!

PRAISE GOD! I've made it to 34 weeks!!! It is finally starting to become real to me that in less than 2 months, I will be a mommy to a little boy. Everything is coming together so nicely. The nursery is 90% done...just need a glider, a lamp, the curtains (my MIL is hemming them), and a few items to decorate with. This little boy is so loved! He has TONS of clothes and some really great books to read.

This past week has been a little exhausting. I'm still trying to "run, run run" and do all the things I use to do before my 3rd trimester. However, I'm HUGE and the swelling is even worse. I can't wear my wedding rings anymore. Surprisingly, I've been able to wear them this whole time. We have our CPR class next week and our Baby Care class the following week. AHHHHHHH!!!!! SO SO SO CLOSE TO THE BIG DAY! :-)

Luke's World:

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. His fat layers — which will help regulate his body temperature once he's born — are filling him out, making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous aboutpreterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Ships ahoy...it's a BOY!

This past Saturday was my 1st baby shower. It was ABSOLUTELY beautiful and I feel so blessed to have such amazing women in my life. The theme was "ships ahoy...it's a boy". It was complete with a candy bar, yummy cake, scrapbooking station, games, lots of presents for Luke and the LOVE of family and friends! :-) After being showered with gifts, I came home and unpacked everything (did you expect anything less from me). It took about 2 hours to go through everything and boy is Luke almost all set. He has the cutest outfits!!! I honestly couldn't have done it better myself...I'm sad it's over with. :-( A VERY VERY VERY special thank you to my Mom, Katie, Mariah, Danielle L., Tanya, Danielle K., Jessie, Donna, Stephanie and Amy. You ladies mean the world to me and Luke!

SO SO SO BLESSED!

Such a nice job Tanya!
My cute cake with nothing but RED VELVET CUPCAKES!

Super cute sign!

The ladies who made this whole thing possible!

In addition to my shower, this past week I went to St. Augustine with my 4th graders! The kids had a BLAST! I wish I could say the same. LOL!!! It was a great trip, but I can't say that I had a BLAST.

WOO HOO!!! 33 weeks prego today! I know, I can't believe it myself, but yes I REALLY am already 33 weeks. I'm so full of mixed emotions about having this little guy. I'm excited to be a mommy, but scared as heck! I know my life is about to change in so many ways and I hope I'm prepared for as much of it as possible. :-)

Luke's World!!!

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Diabetes? 32 weeks?

I have ANOTHER thing to praise God about! After taking the 3 hour glucose diabetes screening test, I don't have diabetes!!! I'm so happy to hear this as it was weighing VERY heavy on my mind. :-)

We also had our birthing class this week. We learned a lot of information about relaxing, medication and what to expect during early labor and active labor. Chris was a HUGE help and support! He learned more than I did and claims he knows exactly what to do when the time comes! WE SHALL SEE since I'm sure all of it will go out the window when it's time! LOL!!!

We continued on the nursery this week. We have our rug down and it looks soooo great! I couldn't help myself and put together Luke's crib with the bedding! I'm going to have to take it apart and wash it still, but it looks so cute! I can't wait to have the rest of the accessories in there along with the glider and end table to complete it!

Well, this week is the week I go to St. Augustine with 30 fourth graders at 32 weeks pregnant. This should be interesting and fun at the same time. The weather is suppose to be ABSOLUTELY gorgeous!!!

Lastly, I can't wait until next Saturday! It's my first shower and I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to celebrate the arrival of Luke with such great friends and family.

Luke's (Nemo's) World:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, he'll gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

31 weeks-9 left to go!!!

Well.....I've made it to 31 weeks! I'm STILL in awe that I'm having a baby! Me, I, Gina is having a baby in about 9 weeks! I'm scared, excited and extremely nervous all in one! I thank God everyday that He trusts us with one of His children!

A little bit about this past week! We had our 30 week check-up on Wednesday and all was PERFECT except that I failed my one hour glucose diabetes screening. BUMMER! I had to do the 3 hour test this past Thursday. It wasn't too bad since Chris came with me to keep me company. I won't know the results until next week, but one way or the other I will be okay. Worst case senario, I have gestational diabetes and I get to meet Luke a little earlier than we thought. Babies with GD tend to get bigger earlier!

We had our breastfeeding class this past week which was interesting. I feel more comfortable that I will be able to "successfully" breastfeed, but I know that may not always be the case. We have our birthing education class this Saturday. CAN'T WAIT!!! Last but not least....my shower is in two weeks!!!

Here's Luke's life!
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Here's something fun to read over!

How you know your 7 months pregnant:

*Your hubby learns how to buckle, tie, and adjust your shoes-if you can weat them (my feet don't allow me to sometimes)

*You can barely shave your legs, and lotioning legs or cutting your own toenails is no longer an option

*You pop tums as if they are tictacs

*Scouting out restroom locations is the top priority when entering an unfamiliar location

*You are responsible for making the decision for every meal because everyone asks what you and Baby would like to eat

*Grunting, moaning, and wobbling like a 90 year old is normal

Love,