Entering our Third Trimester!

Can you believe we are already in our third trimester? As of this week, we are officially in the final phase of our pregnancy. The baby will be here before you know it.

I have been feeling much better these past several weeks. My energy level is back up (though not to the pre-pregnancy standards), and I no longer have any aversions to food. This last week I could feel the abdominal stretching, and my feet complain about the extra weight.

Our little baby boy is keeping active, especially in the mornings -- he's a great alarm clock. There is still no consistency to his movements, but they are getting stronger everyday. He is now over a foot long and weighs about two pounds. At this age, he has brain wave patterns like those of a newborn.

Only 95 days to go!

Baby Showers!

What a whirlwind weekend! We spent two days in the Northwest over Labor Day weekend. It was our final trip to see friends and family before the baby is born.

On Saturday, my Aunt Linda hosted a couple's baby shower in Olympia, Washington for all our friends and family in that area. We weren't sure who would be coming, but it turned out to be quite a mixed crowd. There were about 40 people there from so many different parts of our lives -- relatives from both my mom and dad's sides of the family, friends from both mine and Darren's high schools, old time family friends, church friends, etc. We had a wonderful time!

On Sunday, we headed south for another shower in Newberg, Oregon at Virginia's house (Darren's mom) -- lots of family, fun and fellowship. We were so blessed by all the wonderful gifts for our baby. Darren's grandmother gave us a baby spoon that has been used in their for three plus generations. She also knitted a beautiful baby afghan for our new little boy. It was so special.

It was an exhausting weekend, but such a celebration. Check out the pictures in our photo album.

On the Road Again

Since Christy will be nine months pregnant at Christmastime, we are about to embark on our 381st and final trip of the year to the Northwest this weekend. As just about any family and friends reading this should know, we have a couple of baby showers planned for Saturday and Sunday in the Olympia area and the Portland area. Looking foward to seeing all of you! I think we may be spending as much time "on the road" as we do visiting with people, though.

When we return home we'll be hitting the baby's room hard, picking colors, painting, and buying furniture. The walls will be yellow, with blue as the primary accent color for bedding and such. The visual theme with be giraffes, with a touch of jungle.

Christy's tummy is pooching out, and I am trying to get out all the last remnants of my 20s -- eating bad food, staying up too late, and not mowing the grass often enough. Once Baby arrives, it's grown-up time! Then I'll have completely excusable reasons for being up in the middle of the night.

Meanwhile, we are starting to explore all the minutia of having a baby around the house. How long do we put off baby-proofing? Do we want a solo changing table, or a dresser-changing table combo? Can we find a crib on consignment (those puppies are pricey!)? Who can we find to babysit, and how old is old enough to leave him with a sitter for an evening? How soon can we plop him on an airplane and travel? How do we keep the cats from sleeping on his head?

Ah, the joys of parenthood. I'm sure we really have no idea what we're in for.