33 Weeks - Baby is about the size of a pineapple!

Today marks 33 weeks of my pregnancy. I can't believe how close to the end we are getting!  I am so excited to meet our daughter! I keep wondering...what she will look like? How big will she be?  Will she have hair? If so, how much and what color? What will her skin color be...darker like her dad's or more pale like mommy's?  All the unknowns are so exciting to think about...

Mommy Update:
This week I am feeling very good.  I saw the dietitian since I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  Every since I saw her, my glucose levels have been below the cutoff. So I feel good that I am able to control it will my diet only. Because of my diet changes, I did lose weight this week...about a half of a pound.  So now my total weight gain so far is only 11.6 pounds.  However, I know that she is gaining weight because my belly is still growing. 

Also, I am feeling good emotionally.  We finally have the nursery set up!  Well, at least the important things are set up and ready to go.  The only thing missing is a rug and a rocking chair!  Last weekend I was able to wash all her clothes and blankets. Also, I washed most of the cloth diapers and prepared them for her.  My friend Carol came over on Saturday and helped me organize her clothes and get everything put away in a good spot. Many thanks to her!  So I feel that we are pretty much ready to welcome her into our home when the time comes. Granted, there are some things we still need to get, but we have the necessities taken care of for now!

We found a great pediatrician this last week as well. I went and had a consultation with her and absolutely knew she was the perfect fit.  She is a more holistic type doctor that will try home remedies first before prescribing medications. Of course, if it is an emergency that only medication will fix, she will go straight to the medication.  So I like that she has a good balance of natural healing and medicinal healing.

After Thanksgiving is over, I will need to focus on packing our hospital bag.  I have the list ready, I just need to gather everything and put it in a bag.  I feel like I have a really long list...but I figure I would rather be more prepared than not.

So, I feel like everything is falling into place!  God is good (all the time!) and He's guiding every step we take through this.


Baby Update:
This past week she has been very active during the day and also in the evening.  So her schedule is changing a bit. She get hiccups at least once every other day or so. She still hasn't given me an kicks that hurt yet...so she's being very nice to mommy already!
According to the websites I look at, she should weigh over 4lbs and may be as long as 17.2 inches (about the size of a pineapple)! Her brain is busy maturing and increasing in size. Parts of the brain are starting to function, including the auditory cortex (the area of the brain that's responsible for making sense of sounds), visual cortex (the region of the brain that processes visual information), and Broca's area (the part of the brain that's involved in speech and language processing).

Her fingernails might reach the tip of her fingers now, but they are still soft because of the amniotic fluid so she won't scratch her face.  Her bones continue to harden and her nose is almost fully formed. The bridge has formed and she no longer has that "button nose" appearance. Her face is rounding out and she may be a bit chubby from here on out.

Also, she is making faces in the womb...smiling, sticking out her tonge, and making goofy expressions!


This week is Thanksgiving. I hope that all of you will be able to enjoy time with your family and reflect on what you are thankful for.  I know for me, I am extremely thankful for this pregnancy (an answered prayer) and that our baby girl is healthy and growing strong. However, I am most thankful that Jesus came to this earth and died for my sins even though I do not deserve it...and since I have accepted this truth, I know that I will one day be in heaven with my savior, Jesus Christ.  Thank you Jesus for saving me!


Psalm 95:2-3
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

32 Weeks (8 Months Pregnant!)

Wow!  Today I am 32 weeks along...or 8 months pregnant!  Time is going by so quick.  I've had all my showers and feel so blessed by the generosity everyone has shown me in welcoming our daughter to this world. We pretty much have everything we need now, minus a few things.  We are very blessed. :-)

Mommy Update:

32 Weeks

So, I have been officially diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD).  Some of my blood glucose levels were high so my doctor wants to be cautious and continue monitoring my levels and the baby.  I saw the dietitian yesterday and she gave me some good advise on changing a few things in my diet.  She also explained to me about insulin and glucose and how it affect me and the baby. So the main thing I need to change is increasing my non-starchy vegetable servings per day and making sure each meal is balanced with protein, veggies, and carbs.  I feel more confident in the choices I need to make now so I'm not feeling as devastated as I did at first when diagnosed with this. I also know that I will be able to control it with diet and some increase in activity throughout the day.

So, last week I was feeling a little overwhelmed since we didn't have anything prepared for our daughter.  Also, I was overwhelmed thinking about finances, work, how quick time was moving....it was all coming to a head.  But, thank God I have family, friends, and a husband that prayed me through it and I do feel better this week.  I know I can trust God in everything and He hasn't let us down yet so I need to continually remind myself of that.

Also, I know I am feeling better because on Saturday and Sunday we finally cleared her room out and set up the crib and the dresser.  Thanks to our cousin (Joel) and the boys, we were able to get everything accomplished fairly quickly.  The only thing left is to get the armoire put together which will be happening this weekend.  Also, yesterday I received the cloth diaper prefolds and covers that I ordered from Green Mountain Diapers. The covers are so adorable!  I can't wait to see her in them! 

Baby Update:
So, this week she weighs around 3.7 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long from head to heel.  She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.  Also, now she is able to smile and stick her tongue out!

She has been moving very well this past week.  A new thing I noticed is more of a rolling sensation of her moving a leg or foot across my uterus.  When she stops, I will touch her there and then she will move it again.  It's a fun little game I play!  It amazes me that when I am able to touch where she is that I am actually feeling her...it blows my mind! Hopefully I am not getting on her nerves! Ha!

So, that is all for this weeks update. I thank you, as always, for your prayers and support.  Take care!

- Lisa 

31 weeks -- Baby girl is moving ALOT!

Welcome to week 31!  I know I say this every time, but I can't believe how fast time is flying. We are in single digits now..only 9 weeks left! That is...if she holds out until 40 weeks!

Mommy Update:
I am feeling pretty good.  I am still monitoring my glucose levels since I had a couple of higher levels. At first the doctor wanted me to see a dietitian and was going to diagnose me with gestational diabetes...however, he changed his mind since most of my numbers are good.  He decided he wanted me to continue monitoring my levels for another week and I will see him on Thursday so he can determine what to do.  I think he is being extra cautious because he knows I want to have a natural birth and if I do have gestational diabetes, then I need to control what I'm eating so our baby girl doesn't get too large. At the same time, he doesn't want me to stress out about it because if I do have gestational diabetes, then my levels are actually very good since they are just above normal levels only a few times during the week.  The good thing about all of this is that I am able to see what foods affect my glucose levels and what foods my body responds well too.  So, in the long run, maybe this will be good for my overall health.  At least, that is the outlook I choose to take.

I am feeling very blessed by my friends and family as well.  I had another shower over the weekend and received so many gifts for our daughter.  I am so blessed by their generosity and thoughtfulness.  Now, we just need to get the room set up so we can put everything away.  We plan to start doing that this weekend.

Lastly, I realized that I have forgot to give an update on my weight gain in the last few posts.  So, right now, my total weight gain so far since being pregnant is 13.4lbs.  This really surprises me since I am really showing (at least in my opinion).  So it must all be baby weight since I've been eating fairly healthy this whole pregnancy.  I also praise God for this because one of my fears was that I would use pregnancy as an excuse to eat more and load up on sweets...but it's actually been the complete opposite.  I crave healthier foods instead of sweets...so that's a good thing!

Baby Update:
She most likely measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3 1/3 pounds (about the size of a coconut) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump up since layers of fat are accumulating underneath her skin. In the next few weeks, her arms, legs, and body will start to fill out, and her skin will become less wrinkly.

The last few days she has been moving like crazy! And it's weird because now, instead of just feeling her on one side, I now feel her movements on both sides of my stomach sometimes.  I just wish I knew what she was doing in there sometimes!  It feels like she's stretching out..ha ha! Jesús said she's probably dancing and "raising the roof"...Ha! Either way...she's moving and making herself nice and cozy.

Well, that is all for now.  Thank you again for all your prayers.  Take care and God bless!

-Lisa

30 weeks -- On the home stretch!

Wow! Today I am 30 weeks pregnant!  Only ten more weeks to go! That is so crazy to think about...we are getting so close!

Mommy Update:
So, I had my 3 hour glucose tolerance test last Thursday.  My doctor called and told me that there are two standards that are highly controversial. One standard is not so strict, where the other is strict.  He said he normally goes by the stricter standard just to be safe.  So...with the "not so strict" standard, I do not have gestational diabetes.  However, with the strict standard I am on the borderline of having it.  So, to be safe, he asked me to monitor my blood glucose levels for a week.  So I have to keep track of my numbers before I eat breakfast and then again 2 hours after each meal of the day (breakfast, lunch, & dinner).  So, four times a day.  So far, my numbers are good.  So I am betting on Thursday when I see him that he will not diagnose me with gestational diabetes.  Praise God!

I had my first baby shower on Sunday! So now that I have little girl clothes, bottles, etc. at home it feels more real that she is actually going to be here soon!  When I got home, Jesús looked at all the cute clothes and he said "We're having a girl!".  Ha! So I think it made it more real to him too.  I have another shower this weekend (back home in Indiana) and am looking forward to that as well.

Overall, I am feeling really good.  I still have numbing in my hands, but I will not complain since this pregancy has been so easy so far.  I think I have been experiencing some braxton hicks contractions as well. It doesn't hurt at all and they are not intense...it just feels like tightening pressure on my lower abdomen.

I stated last week that I was nervous that we didn't have anything set up for her nursery yet.  Well, thank goodness, I ended up finding a dresser and an armoire that I really like and it's at IKEA.  So we will be picking those up within the next week or so and will be setting her room up then! Yippee!


Baby Update:
This week baby is about 15.7 inches long and weighs about 3 pounds (probably a little more since she was 3 pounds a couple weeks ago!). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will shrink as she gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen.

The bridge of her "button" nose is more apparent now than in earlier weeks. The tip of your her nose still looks upturned, but as the pregnancy continues, her face will lengthen and the tip of the nose will make a downward tilt.

The nerve cells in her brain continue to mature this week. The neurons of the brain's cortex (the area of the brain that controls memory, coordinated movement, vision, emotion, and thought processes) start to develop into six distinct layers, each with specific functions.

She is poking and prodding alot lately....making herself known! Nothing is hurting yet, but she has given me a couple kicks that have shocked me because they were so strong and unexpected.  I just laugh and talk back to her and ask if she's comfortable now. :-)

So that's my 30 week update...thank you again for all your encouragement and your prayers!  Love you all...

-Lisa