Itty Bitty Update

Reaching the 30 week mark makes me feel like we can start the countdown to John Fletcher's arrival!  Due to complications with Andrew's delivery, the plan is to deliver John Fletcher by C-section on August 10.  That's just 9 weeks away!!!

Babycenter.com says he's now about 15.7 inches long and weighs almost 3 pounds.  Big boy!  And he's definitely stronger.  The kicks and punches are pretty intense now, and we've reached that very strange stage of pregnancy where I frequently see a little arm or foot pop out of my abdomen.  There's a lot of tumbling going on, too.  John Fletcher is much more active than Andrew ever was at night.  If I stir in my sleep, he rises and shines.  This results in many nighttime moments spent debating the merits of turning over.

My boy and me at 29 weeks: 

Just this morning, when John Fletcher was doing some 5:30 AM aerobics, I started to think about all the things we need to do in the next 9 weeks: sort and re-wash all the newborn clothes, build the bassinette, paint those wall letters, buy (lots and lots of) tiny diapers, find some way to make the nursery acommodate two boys' things, and so on.   Not a good way to get back to sleep.

Maybe I should have spent some of that glorious second trimester energy on these projects, 'cuz the third trimester sure has arrived!  I'm feeling large, but not very in charge.  My back pain is way less than with Andrew, but ever increasing.  And some days, I'm just completely wiped out.  Overall, though, things have been much easier this time around, and I am supremely thankful to have the privilege of carrying this baby. 

Can we just marvel for a minute at the perfection of God's plan for pregnancy?  I've been thinking about this a lot.  It seems to me that the first trimester and all its discomforts give us the immediate, HUGE signal that life as we know it is changing.  We are swept away by pregnancy.  There is no ignorning the blooming of new life. It's a difficult time, but the beautiful emotions that accompany new pregnancy carry us through, and then--just when it feels like it's all too hard--we're given the respite of second trimester.  Sure, everything is still different, but we're a little better adjusted and the discomfort is not so urgent.  We can just sit back and enjoy the new baby inside us.  During that time, we get to feel the first flutters turn into recognizable kicks and punches.  Then, the third trimester hits and we are again keenly aware that life is changing...imminently.  We are forced to slow down and rest while waiting.  By the time we're full term, there is absolute desperation to have that baby in our arms right now, no matter what we have to go through to get them there.  And so our bodies and our hearts are prepared to welcome His child!  What wonderful blessings!