Acorn squash

Now that we are officially in the third trimester, the reality is sinking in that we will soon have a baby as a part of our life. It's so weird to think about - I just can't get over it! Grant is calm as can be and has been very supportive and encouraging to me whenever I begin to worry about all of the changes to come. Of course, I also have moments that I blurt out, "Guess what honey? We're having a baby!!" Ha! I'm not sure it will completely sink in until I'm holding him in my arms after he's born.

Celebrating Christmas was a lot of fun! We really enjoyed the time that we had with our families and also the bits of time when we snuck away just the two of us. We have enjoyed savoring some of special moments together as a two-some. Even though we will be sure to make time together once baby arrives, we anticipate that it will become more sparse for a while.

I've begun to experience some more late pregnancy symptoms, like aches and trouble sleeping. Last night, I finally broke out the body pillow we bought weeks ago and I felt like a new woman after getting a full night of sleep (despite the midnight bathroom breaks, of course)!

Happy New Year. Week 29!

I can tell that you've become very active, little one. You've been moving around, kicking and poking like crazy. Even while I was doing yoga this morning, you were stretching out with me! At about 15 inches and 2.5 pounds, you're bones are starting to harden with calcium deposits and you are demanding a lot of nutrients right now. No wonder I've been so hungry lately!

The most exciting part about this past week was beginning the nursery! My mom, brother, and I organized all of the baby's stuff into different totes - toys and books, clothes, etc. My family helped put the dresser and crib into baby's room - hooray! Grant and my dad did most of the work - thanks guys! Later on, my mom and I looked through all of the baby clothes and sorted them out by size. It was so much fun to look at all of his little clothes, and getting everything organized was a big start in finishing the nursery.

My dad and Grant working hard

Bandit was "helping"

Almost finished!

My brother helped with the mattress

This week is bloodwork week. I'm a little nervous about getting all of the tests run and praying that everything comes back normal. It's always a joy to have an appointment right after the holidays, especially this one - the scale doesn't always feel like my friend. :) I feel confident that everything is normal, but will be relieved when the tests have been run.

Love, the George family

Eggplant

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!" Having seen the first snowfall of the season this past week and being only two days away from Christmas, it's hard to not feel a bit of holiday cheer. Despite little boy's kicks and twirls that have been keeping me up at night, I've had plenty of Christmas energy to keep me going. We are so excited to spend this week with our little family and extended families.

Now that I'm heading into the third trimester, I am beginning to feel more restricted in movement at times. Getting up out of bed takes more work. Doing yoga is rather comical, because I can barely stretch into some of the positions. I'm getting used to having a growing belly in the way, but it's definitely an odd experience.

28 weeks and baby is comparable to an eggplant. I had an unpleasant experience with leftover Eggplant Parmesan during the first trimester and have been utterly disgusted by it ever since!

Now over two pounds and nearing 15 inches, you keep growing and growing! Your brain is developing into folds and grooves, as you continue to gain the ability to regulate your basic body functions. It's amazing that when you are born three short months from now, you will have the ability to breathe and eat and get rid of waste, all on your own. It's kind of nice to know that my body is doing it's part to help you survive right now. I love being a part of your development.

It's wild and exciting to think that next year our prince will be with us to hear the Christmas story, sing (or coo) praise to our King, and open his very first Christmas gift. We are savoring these moments that we have together as a family of two and dreaming about what it will be like to make new memories as a family of three.

I'm ready for our next appointment in about a week and a half. So much is changing right now that it brings up plenty of questions and concerns. The closer I get to delivery, the more I wonder about the unique changes happening in my body. For the most part, I remind myself that my body was created to do this and I need to trust my instincts. A good friend of mine encouraged me last week that Grant and I have chosen our path of maternity care for a reason and that there are risks and worries no matter what path we ultimately take. Sometimes it's just nice to have someone remind you of what you believe in.

Love, the George family

Rutabaga

Crazy as I may be, I agreed to go with Grant to the midnight premiere of The Hobbit Part 1 this past week. I've never been to a midnight showing, so it was a new and exciting experience. Despite the fact that I fall asleep at almost every movie we go to and that I tire more easily because of pregnancy, I managed to stay awake for the whole movie! If a movie can keep me awake (at 3 in the morning, nonetheless) it's got to be good!

While I love feeling our little guy move around, this week has been a bit painful. He's a very active boy, and I swear that sometimes he's doing barrel rolls in my belly...I've even gotten naseous a couple of times because of how much he's moving! Heartburn continues it's evil plight against my esophagus, especially when I forget to take some papaya before a (even mildly) spicy meal. Thankfully, I still have plenty of energy to keep up with the marathon holiday season, as I'm calling it this year.

Ending the second trimester and growing steadily!

We had some fun with pictures this week :)

It's hard to believe that you are already about 14.5 inches long - that's well over half the length you will be when you're born! The more we learn about how you grow, the more amazed we are by the way that your Father created you. We read this week that your brain gains 250,000 nerve cells every minute and that your body grows 1 billion times in weight from conception to birth! (Quick plug for The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp) Your body is working in overdrive, and we pray for your growth, development, and safety often.

As we approach upcoming Christmas celebrations, we have been thinking about some of the traditions that we want to share with our child(ren). I was reading about stockings and found that several families write thank you cards or "I love you" notes to each member of the family. It's a sweet way for the kids to share with one another on Christmas, and it is a way to spread love and joy on Christmas. We look forward to making some of our own traditions like this!

Pain from his kicks and movements is the most challenging part for me right now. I'm just not used to the way that all of the (increasingly stronger) pokes and prods feel, and I think it will just take some time for me to adjust. And, as it's a short season of my life, I am enjoying his (not so little) movements as much as I can!

Love, the George family

Lettuce

Baby boy is starting to grow into some bigger fruits and veggies. It's hard to imagine that there is a baby the size of a head of lettuce in there - not as plump, of course! We had another busy week, and he vicariously enjoyed his first live KU basketball game. Daddy had a very good time cheering as the team played quite well.

As the third trimester draws nearer, I continue to cherish the wonderful moments of pregnancy that I enjoy right now. I've definitely been able to feel more movement the past few days. It seems almost constant at times. Grant has been able to feel him kicking more and more, especially when we are snuggled up close at night. This weekend in Kansas City, the heater in our hotel room was blowing on the curtains and making a clicking noise, and our boy was kicking daddy almost in rhythm to the clicks! I was fast asleep the whole time. :)



ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK! Still able to squeeze into a KU shirt :)



26 weeks and counting...

Your senses continue to develop this week - your eyes will soon be opening and you will be able to tell light from dark and your ears now have the ability to hear daddy's voice when he's talking. You can even move in rhythm to music now! At just over a foot long and nearing two pounds, you are growing a lot!

We really enjoyed the KU game and our weekend away. It's been a crazy few weeks, so it was nice to take some time out for just the two of us. We won't have many more times like those for awhile, so we are trying to enjoy our time as much as possible. It's also exciting to think about sharing special times with our little one. The newness of this stage of life keeps coming!

As baby grows, so does mommy's belly. It seems like it just keeps popping out in phases, and this past week was one of those times. It's not really hide-able anymore, except for maybe under a really big winter sweater or a puffy coat. I've been enjoying the ability to show off our newest addition, despite the complications it poses in walking and bending over to tie my shoes! I think each stage of pregnancy, just like life, has it's upsides and downsides. As long as we keep our eyes on the positives, we will have a much more enjoyable experience.

Love, the George family

Cauliflower

Now that it's "officially" Christmastime, I have been listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies quite a bit. Our boy might get tired of hearing me sing along to my favorite Christmas songs over and over. I'm interested to see if he recognizes any of them next Christmas, as I've read that babies tend to respond to the things they heard in the womb. That's why white noise or lullabies that I sing right now will likely become soothing sounds to our handsome man. Maybe he'll find "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to be the perfect bedtime song...ha!

I've continued to feel well this past week. We had our 24 week check-up and everything looks good! I didn't end up having my bloodwork done this time, which was nice. :) Next appointment! He had a good heartbeat, although it was hard to find, as he kicked at the doppler and moved around the entire time she was trying to check it. He's a feisty little guy! I've been asked how I'm doing several times this week, and it's a resounding, "Great!" I'm thankful for the repreive of the past couple of weeks - I've definitely needed the energy to keep up with everything that we are trying to do right now.

25 weeks already!

You have started gaining weight and filling out more rapidly. Your wrinkly skin will slowly transform as your face fills out, giving you more and more of the look you will have at birth. Your hair has grown, and if we could see you right now, we would know what color it will be when you make your grand entrance!

We are excited to share in the joys of the holiday season. December is one of our favorite months of the year, and it always zooms past at top speed. We have the chance to cheer on the KU basketball team this week in Lawrence - hopefully it's not too loud for you! Maybe you will be like your daddy and love watching your team play someday. We also have a few weeks before we check in on you again. It will be nice to have a break from appointments before they get closer together.

Our desire to meet you grows stronger each day. As we shop for Christmas gifts and spend time with our family, we increasingly want for you to be a part of it! Even though we can't imagine what it will be like, we are eager to make the transition with you as a part of our lives forever.

Love, Mommy and Daddy (the George family)