29 week appointment

After we returned from Nashville, Luke and I got to go to our 29 week appointment together, and get a peek at our favorite little guy! The reason we got an ultrasound is because my belly measurements were measuring four weeks ahead, and they wanted to make sure all looked great with baby Jack. We both really like our doctor, mostly because he is very on top of things while being very laid back at the same time. It was great that he wasn't worried about the discrepancy, but wanted to get a peek just to check. 


As I have learned, there are many reasons for a baby to measure ahead with the tape measure, and I it turns out, I have three of those reasons going on: I'm under 5'4", baby Jack is high and breech at this point, and he's a big guy -- just not nearly as big as the tape measurements suggested. In other good news, my blood pressure is still on the lower side and weight gain is right on track, so we got to rule out hypertension as the cause. Right now Jack is about 3.5 pounds (84th percentile) and gestationally right on target for a January 9th due date! His heartrate and growth rate look awesome, and his sweet little face and chubby cheeks during the ultrasound were so fun to see! When we first peeked in, he was holding on to his little toes!


So, that said, we are anticipating a healthy 8lb something baby boy in January -- unless he decides to surprise us and make it for a holiday - be it Christmas, New Years...or MLK Day! ( I vote New Years Eve. :) ) Dr. Stone did say we'll probably get another ultrasound closer to time to make sure he has turned and is still measuring well. 


We go back in two weeks for a normal appointment and to meet one of the other doctors in the practice, just in case! We'll keep you updated on this little guy and his progress! In the meantime, enjoy the pictures!

Baby Jack's profile - with his legs over his head!

A (not so little) foot!

Nashville Shower weekend

Last weekend, sweet Nashville friends threw baby showers to celebrate this little guy. I had such a fun time visiting with our moms' friends, and old Franklin and Nashville friends. While I was having fun drinking punch and opening cute little outfits, Luke, who thought he was going to dinner with Ed, ended up at a Man Shower for him and baby Jack, complete with beer in baby bottles and awesome boy toys for Luke and Jack to play with together! Last weekend, no detail was overlooked - Ed, Adam, Melda, and Edee did an awesome job of making it such a fun time, and making us feel very, very special. Thank you all!!! 

So glad my sisters - Rosie, Cass, and Savannah could be there!

Mom, me, and MIL Kathy

Hostess (and fellow new-mom-to-be) Edee and me. I can't wait to meet MollyKate when she gets to America!

Favors

Sweet Melda and me

Baby Jack's "Jack in the Box" cake!

Some of the yummy food - and the cute diaper cake!

"Goodnight Moon", one of Luke's favorite books, and one of many, many sweet gifts! 

Coffee break

Luke and Jack's chocolate M&M cake! Do they know Luke or what? :)

Beer (or soda) out of baby bottles!

The presents were supposed to be for the boys to use together - the Ergo carrier from Grandpa John was perfect!

Uncle Ronnie's GI Joe's were one of the hits of the night!

Six-shooters from Grandpa Tom!

New Dad Emergency Kit from Ed!

The Perfect Holiday Hostess Gift!

Can someone please tell me how adorable these holiday kitchen towels are?! My friend, Rebekah, makes them as a part of her business, Dolka Pots, that features handmade items that benefit local families who are adopting! (www.dolkapots.com)

Rebekah and her family have been friends of my family's since before I was born, and Luke and I just loved getting time with her and her now-husband, Nathaniel while we were at UT. Rebekah and Nathaniel recently brought home their third child, this one through adoption, and much of the funds raised for that adoption were through the hard work of Rebekah's creative hands! Now, she is taking it one step further and supporting other families who are adopting through the proceeds of this business. 


Not only do her things benefit a great cause, but honestly I would buy them even if they didn't because they are so cute and well-made, not to mention they are great prices and ship quickly. If you're heading to someone's home this holiday season, I highly recommend these Turkey kitchen towels (or any of her other adorable seasonal items) for a hostess gift. (If you are a hostesses to me this fall, you're probably already getting some.) Now I just need to order some for myself! 

Empathy

If there is one thing Luke has been this entire pregnancy, it is empathetic. From the very first day I was sick (before we even knew for sure I was pregnant), to even last night when some nausea hit along with a good round of Braxton-Hicks, Luke has been as kind, helpful, and empathetic as a girl could ask for. He makes dinner. He runs to the store for gingerale. He can just tell when I'm starting to feel bad and helps or gives me space as needed - and you can tell he really feels bad that I feel bad. He gives me backrubs and footrubs. He tells me what a great job I'm doing. He works very hard to be able to get me fun things like a treat for dinner or maternity clothes. I really couldn't ask for any more. Yet, all of this doesn't mean it wasn't fun and funny to see him in the empathy suit at birth class. :)

Though, as he said, it really doesn't feel that different than the Kevlar vest and belt he wears every night to work, the not being able to take it off thing definitely added to his empathy. And, I have this priceless picture. :) 

10 Year Reunion

This past weekend was also my 10-Year High School Reunion, a project I've been helping with since mid-summer. Our class has 64 people and as Abby and I contacted each person to verify contact info and invite them to come, I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to get in touch with everyone, and that most everyone was excited to try and come! We ended up with over half of our class participating in the Alumni Tailgate and Homecoming game Friday, the reunion party on Saturday, and the family picnic on Sunday. Thanks to several faithful friends, it was a fun weekend of catching up. Hard to believe it's been 10 years! And whew! Kinda glad the planning is over. :)

Celebrating Baby Jack

This past Saturday was our first baby shower. My very best friends from growing up - Ann, Abby, Becca, and Elisabeth - worked so hard to make it such a special day for us. It was exactly that. 20 family members and hometown friends gathered to encourage us, celebrate this little guy, and help us get started with the things he might need. 

Me and baby Jack with our hostesses Ann, Bec, Abby (not pictured), and Elisabeth.

Becca opened her lovely home and arranged the most beautiful flowers all around it, Ann flew in from Boston and made my favorite French pastries, Elisabeth made my favorite pumpkin bread and, what more could a girl ask for, a grits bar, and Abby sent her love - and the cutest guest book ever (a hardback version of "Where the Wild Things Are") - from her station at the hospital. (We are praying for you, Matt! Get well soon!)

My aunts Angie and Deb came to town, as did sisters Annaliese and Julianna, and they and Mom, Savannah, Rosie, and Meredith made up my wonderful group of female family there to celebrate! Great friends from high school, Nina, Katie, Shai (from Washington State!), and Gretchen also made it, as well as some of my favorite ladies from growing up - Mrs. Barlow, Mrs. Jennings, Mrs. Carroll, and Susan. I really appreciated everyone making the effort to be there - especially on a busy Homecoming/reunion weekend! 

Sweet high school friends Katie and Shai.

Gilman girls! (minus Cass)

Aunt Angie, me, and Aunt Deb

Those who were too far to come send such sweet things to celebrate - Shelley, I LOVE the monogrammed onesie, and Susan, his handmade blanket is just beautiful!!! I am bringing it to the hospital! 

Luke and I felt so blessed to have things provided for him - our stroller, monitor, Exersaucer, sweet outfits, bathtime items, Boppy, pump, blankets - all kinds of wonderful things he will need. 

Thank you all for all of baby Jack's sweet things!

More than that, though, the support and love from our family and community continues to overwhelm us in such a wonderful way - thank you all for encouraging us and reminding baby Jack how very much he is already loved!

Sweet hostesses cleaning up after!

The husbands catching the UT game at the end of the festivities.

26 week appointment

Yesterday Luke and I went to the doctor for baby Jack's 26 week appointment! It was so fun to have Luke there while we got an update on our little guy. Hearing his heartbeat is always our favorite part - and it sounded great! This appointment I also got my flu shot, and Rhogam shot and blood drawn for testing since I have a negative blood type and Luke a positive. Yay for no harmful antibodies!


I also had my glucose tolerance screening, which I was curious about since this little guy has been measuring big. A sugary drink, an hour wait, and a finger prick determined we are doing great on that front - blood sugar completely in check. (The nurses kept apologizing for sticking me 4 times in one appointment. They felt worse about it than I did!) And, no swelling or blood pressure issues, so we are good there, too. Apparently baby Jack is just a big guy! How big? Well, this time he measured at...30 weeks! We'll have an ultrasound next time, on the 25th, to get a look at just how big. I'm very curious! Either way, yay for a healthy baby boy!


This week Luke and I also started our parenting classes at the hospital. I'm happy to say we lived through our first birth video. The nurse teaching them is great - she personally has had a long labor followed by an emergency c-section as well as a normal, natural birth post c-section so she has experienced pretty much all sides. Luke said his favorite part was the sheet they gave us with how big our baby's footprints are now. He was shocked at how big they are, but I am more familiar with the size as he likes to stand on my hip bone. :)

(Actual size of average 26 week baby footprints)

Something recent that is special to us is that now any time Jack moves, Luke can feel him. We watch and feel him move every day. In addition, baby Jack now responds to our touch, so when his daddy presses on his little foot, he gives him a kick back! The first part of pregnancy - before we knew if he was doing ok in there, and while I was pretty sick was tough, but still special -- but this part is awesome. The nausea is in check, we can feel him every day, and I can still tie my own shoes just fine. :) We are just soaking up this time of getting to enjoy this little guy, just the two of us. Third trimester is just around the corner, along with holidays and then, before we know it, he will be here!


Now, on to Nashville this weekend for our first baby shower -- and my 10 year class reunion! So exciting! More to come soon...

Boston!

My best friend, Ann, moved up to the Boston area last year for her husband to attend seminary. We all miss them very much, and Luke and I have talked about visiting them ever since. Two months ago, my birthday was approaching, my belly was getting bigger, and Southwest ran a $99 flight special, so Luke decided it was time to go. 

So, Luke and I spent the first week of fall in the Boston area! We stayed two nights at a hotel, thanks to some vouchers we'd been saving up, and the last three with Ann and Brent in South Hamilton. Both halves of the trip were amazing -- we got to see so much and had a wonderful time together and with friends!

We followed the red brick "Freedom Trail" through the city to see all of the sights.

Beautiful Boston Common - one of my favorite parts of the city!

Me and baby Jack at the "Make Way for Ducklings" statue.

Graveyard at Park Street Church, where John Hancock, Sam Adams, and Ben Franklin's
family are buried, as well as, allegedly, Mother Goose

In front of the Old Corner Bookstore, the "Birthplace of American Literature."

The U.S.S. Constitution, "Old Ironsides" docked with the city skyline in the background.

Balcony of the Old State House -- the place where The Declaration of Independence was first read to the people.

Luke on the oldest street still intact in Boston.

We ate at Ye Olde Union Oyster House, the oldest continuously-running restaurant in America! Daniel Webster drank at the same mahogany bar where we had their famous clam chowder & eponymous draft (Luke) made by Sam Adams.

Lobster rolls and fish and chips at The Barking Crab

Trinity Church

Statue of Paul Revere on his famous ride to the Old North Church. 

Boston Naval Shipyard

Luke at Gloucester coast.

Luke and the boys.

Brent, Ann, me, and Luke!

Many of you asked how baby Jack did, and he was great! He let me indulge in the local food without getting sick (I think he loves clam chowder bread bowls and Boston cream pie) and he was a trooper as we walked ALL day, all over the city! I'm glad we went while he's this portable. :)

Luke and I just love visiting new places. It's one of our very favorite things to do together. We love going to a new city and experiencing the food, history, and culture there. I loved several uninterrupted days with him, just having fun together. 


And, seeing where our friends live and their daily lives was really neat. It helps me picture where they are and what their daily life looks like. Plus, we had so much fun with their two boys! It got us extra excited about all we have ahead of us.