It's getting closer! Only about 30 more days...Lord please let them go by quickly! Each day and especially nights are becoming more and more uncomfortable...driving=uncomfortable, sleeping=uncomfortable, eating= heartburn, moving=potty break, 36 weeks=big belly, all of this= time to get here Jude!

Life has been busy. We are trying to prepare as much as we can and get things in order so that the adjustment to our schedules won't be to hectic. There are still a few more things to get done in the nursery before I can post pics...hopefully it'll be finished before he gets here! Derek and I would like to say thank you to everyone who came to our baby shower and purchased gifts...what an overwhelming feeling to know we have so many people who love us and who are just as ready as we are to meet Jude! We are truly blessed to have family, friends, and an amazing church that supports us 100%.
We have our great friends Ryan and Shari Dean to thank for these awesome maturnity pics...we are thankful that they were able to come down and spend some time with us last month...probably our last time to be together childless :)

Week 36(Thursday): From now on baby's growth is mostly in the plumping up department- though he won't get much longer, he'll put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth. Baby's skin is getting smooth and soft, his gums are rigid, his liver and kidneys are in working order, and his circulation and immune system are basically good to go. His lungs are the only organs that still need to fully mature, but everyday he gets a little closer to breathing on his own.

Baby Jude

Well.. I wasn't going to get the 3d/4d scan done, but I just couldn't help myself...thoughts of him being a her and fears of a giant baby made me do it. I waited a little too long and he didn't have very much room in there, however we did get a few good pics. I still cant picture him though...its going to be sooo great when he is really here and in my arms.

We saw him move around a little bit...found out he likes to play with his feet just like his Daddy, Papa, and Grandpa. Must be in the genes....definitely has Parker lips, chubby cheeks, and we are still trying to figure out the nose. In one pic he looks like cousin Amelia, and in another he looks like cousin Jacob. Whatever the outcome he is bound to be cute!!

He seems to be healthy and happy with all ten fingers and all ten toes. Long fingers and big hands like PawPaw (Popsi)...large feet....and I'm still praying for a decent sized head :) We couldn't measure, so I still have no idea how big he is...I do know that we are both running out of room. He can't move and I can't breathe...7.5 more weeks!!

The Countdown Continues...

57 more days.......as I reach the end of my 31st week (7th month) I am realizing how much stuff still has to get done before Jude arrives. I thought I had everything well planned out, however, sometimes things don't go as planned. The nursery is yet to be completed...we are still waiting on some special orders and home improvements to be completed before I can finish setting up and decorating. This is annoying, but what can I do? Due to my insane calendar I haven't been able to take any of the classes I wanted to yet...I have one class scheduled in a few weeks and am still looking for a date that works for the other class.....but I only have about 57 more days!!!! that's not alotta time. Here are two projects I made for the nursery...I love how they came out!!

We did register for the baby shower....that was a long day, but was fun! We are registered at both Target and Babies R Us..what an overwhelming experience!! 95 different brands of one item, a billion things...how do you know what necessary and whats a waste of time and money?!? and I even did some research before we started the process, that didn't help much. Derek had a blast registering for any and everything he spotted that said "i love my daddy" or that was Star Wars related! I was soooooo tired at the end of that day! I think we got everything, who knows! I do know that alot of the stuff we like and registered for has to be ordered online.....

which is dumb...all the cute stuff is online :)

How you know your 7 months pregnant:

• Your hubby learns how to buckle, tie, and adjust your shoes
• You can barely shave your legs, and lotioning legs or cutting your own toenails is no longer an option
• You pop Zantac 150 as if they are tictacs
• Scouting out restroom locations is the top priority when entering an unfamiliar location
• You are responsible for making the decision for every meal cuz everyone asks what you and Baby would like to eat
• Grunting, moaning, and wobbling like a 90 year old is normal

What has this past month included you may ask........plenty more crazy dreams, sleepless nights, more OCD activities, back, hip, and leg pain, not so cute outfits on Sundays, extreme emotions including outrageous laughing at things that aren't all that funny and a never ending supply of tears even when whatever got me started crying in the first place is over, done with, and forgotten about. Derek will walk in the room and sincerely ask, "why are you still crying?" my response, in a shaky voice, "I don't know, I'm not a faucet ya know...cant turn it on and off when I please." Poor hubby....now when we are in the midst of a conversation and I know its headed towards something that will open the flood gates, we quickly change the subject...

Month 7: Squash

Week 31: Baby is about 16.25 inches, weighing 3.3 lbs. About the size of four navel oranges.

This week your baby is gaining more weight as baby fat is filling in underneath the skin. Your baby's color is also becoming less red and more pink in color. By now Your baby's irises can dilate and respond to changes in light, and all five senses are in working order. Baby's going through major brain and nerve development these days.

Who am I, and what did I do with the old me??

Back to life...finally! Jude has definitely grown plenty since I last blogged. We survived three weeks of camp and made plenty of memories, but now it is time to get back to our routine. I have been going through a serious stage of nesting. Believe it or not, I have kept the house SPOTLESS for a month now.....those who know me well can tell you this is not a custom. I pray that the OCD symptom stays cuz I think my hubby may be getting used to it :) Wat shall I do when it goes away?!?? I've gotten down to serious business people. Every closet, drawer, and cabinet has been cleaned out and organized...laundry is done, dishwasher loaded/unloaded, and bed made everyday...Derek has to get a new spoon for each cup of coffee cuz every time I walk in the kitchen I put the dirty one in the dishwasher and wipe the counter only to do the same for his next cup..and the next. Ya'll, I've been cooking and been hanging up my clothes, and even weirder...returning things I purchase that don't fit or that I don't have need for!! This is serious! It's like someone has taken over my body......this is not me!!!

The nursery is slowly but surely coming together. I can't wait to get the closet finished so that I can put the whole thing together!! I will post pics asap. I'm so ready to register and have a baby shower, and put away all the gifts...I can't wait to spend time with family and friends introducing our new little man. I can't wait to bathe my little jelly bean, and have snuggle time with mommy, daddy, baby, Mags, and Chloe. I can't wait to dress him up, rock him to sleep, sing to him, listen to his daddy tell him stories... I know once he is here time will fly by, and I'm not ignorant to the fact that there will be sleepless nights and miserable sick days, but it will all be worth it. I'm anxious to see our parenting skills put to work, see how many of our words we'll have to eat, and how many people we prove wrong! Either way we are ready to begin this process! Only 89 more days...

Month 6: Eggplant

Week 27: Baby is 2 pounds and 14.5 inches..about the size of a cauliflower.

This week your baby looks like a thinner, redder, more wrinkled version of what he will look like at birth, but in the next few weeks more fat will fill out his appearance. Your baby's immune system is continueing to mature as are your baby's lungs. The lungs are going through some major developments these days, which (combined with the opening of the previously plugged nostrils) means he's now able to practice inhaling and exhaling. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now.

ABORTION

Abortion- this topic makes my blood boil! As Christians we CANNOT sit around and pretend this isn't happening in our country or around the world. Wake up people! The world is going to hell in a handbasket and that seems to be okay with us as long as nothing interferes with our perfect little lives. We have to get outside of our bubble and STAND-UP for what we believe in!!! I was amazed when I watched twelve year old Lia Mills give this speech...Watch this!!

"The Supreme Court in 1973, in the case of Roe v. Wade, declared most existing state abortion laws unconstitutional."

"Babies can still be aborted for non-medical reasons at up to 24 weeks. Recent evidence shows that, of those born at 25 weeks, half of them manage to live."

There are two stories in particular that have stuck with me throughout my pregnancy. I think about them often and it just makes me soooo angry that ignorant people (#1 beong Barack Obama) are running our country....How in the world did we let it get to this??? Please take the time to read about these two situations. It goes to show what a miracle life is and how amazing our Creator is!

Samuel Armas:

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by a surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb. Michael Clancy, working for USA Today captured the surgery on film.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. During the surgery on little Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny but fully developed, hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity.

The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life." Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture.
She said, "The photo reminds us my pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person" "The Hand" of the fetus. You can see the actual picture, and it is awesome...incredible.

God made only mankind in his image.

We are uniquely singled out bearing the image of God above any other creature. He is the sole object of Christ's redemptive love. Christ went to the trouble of dying for our transgressions against God by becoming a human first. He went through the process of being put in a womb and being there for 9 months like any other, then born under the human conditions (without sin). Certainly The preexistent Son of God was a person, and he was a person in the womb.God said to Noah "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for God made man in his own image." (Gen. 9:6) .

Amillia Taylor:

A girl born after just under 22 weeks in the womb - among the shortest gestation periods known for a live birth - will remain in a hospital a few extra days as a precaution, officials said.

 Amillia Taylor, who weighed less than 10 ounces (283 grams), had been expected to be sent home this week.
 However, routine tests indicated she was vulnerable to infection, said Dr. Paul Fassbach, who has cared for the baby since shortly after she was born.



"She has been fine," Fassbach said, but doctors are being extra cautious "now that she's going into the world." 

Video...the tiny baby who survived against all the odds
. Doctors say she is the first baby known to have survived after a gestation of fewer than 23 weeks. But full-term births usually come after 37 to 40 weeks. Amillia was just 9 1/2 inches long and weighed less than 10 ounces when she was delivered by Caesarean section. She now weighs 4 1/2 pounds. She has suffered respiratory and digestive problems, as well as a mild brain hemorrhage, but doctors believe the health concerns will not have major long-term effects. "Her prognosis is excellent," said Dr. Paul Fassbach, who has cared for Amillia since her second day. Amillia was conceived in vitro and has been in an incubator since birth. She will continue to receive a small amount of supplemental oxygen even after she goes home.

Her parents Sonja and Eddie, from Homestead, Florida, were visiting friends in Miami when Mrs Taylor went into labour at just over 19 weeks pregnant, having conceived by IVF. 

Doctors attempted to delay the birth but eventually were forced to carry out an emergency caesarean. 



Amillia Taylor weighed just under 10oz and was only 91/2 inches long at birth

Dr Guillermo Lievano, who delivered Amillia, said he was not expecting her to survive.



"I was prepared for the worst and prepared to break the bad news to the mother." 

Amillia responded to treatment, however. During two months in an incubator, she even had plastic surgery after her left ear was partially torn off during the delivery. "I'm still in amazement," said Mrs Taylor, 37, a teacher. "I wanted her to have a chance and I knew in my heart that she was going to make it. 

"It was hard to imagine she would get this far. But now she is beginning to look like a real baby. Even though she's only 4lb now, she's plump to me." 

scroll down for more

Ten ounces of determination: Amillia was little longer than this pen

William Smalling, neo-natologist at Baptist Children's Hospital in Miami, said: "She's truly a miracle baby. We didn't even know what a normal blood pressure is for a baby this small." 

Amillia's incredible story will reignite the debate over Britain's abortion laws, which campaigners say must be updated in the light of recent medical advances.

Here is a wesite that I got alot of information from....*be aware that they do have some very graphic photos*

http://www.bibleprobe.com/abortion.htm 


I like papayas....

...but nothing can beat the sweet love of God. We've made it to 23 weeks!!! Seems like things are getting more and more hectic around here...With three weeks of camp coming up, getting the nursery together, weekly worship ministry, church events, baby shower stuff, I'm surprised I haven't crashed! This second trimester has been very easy, and I've had tons of energy, thank God! Actually the whole pregnancy thus far has been great, aside from heartburn everyday of my life, everything is peachy. Been sleeping great (with crazy dreams), got my appetite back, and I have been enjoying this time with Derek preparing and wondering about our future with a son :) All is well!

The extra bonus is I get to decorate Jude's room...I absolutely LOVE decorating spaces, and I'm having a blast getting everything together.

I'm not going to lie, I stole alot of ideas from a picture I found online, but I plan on adding my own special quirks to the room. I wanted the room painted before we left for camp...sooo we did that yesterday. Thanks to Jude's Papa and Daddy, a very amazing fan has been hung (despite it taking 5 hours, it looks great!) The baby bed is in, and the rest of the furniture has been shipped. I can't wait to get it all together. All I need now is my orange rocking chair...the one I wanted has been discontinued :(..however I am on a mission to find another just as great!! So sorry that I didn't blog last week...as you can see, life has been hectic!

Week 23: Jude is now the size of a papaya weighing 20.8 oz and is 11.8 inches. Your baby is probably quite active by now and you should be able to feel movement or kicks in your belly. It might even be possible to see movements on the surface of your skin. Overall, your baby is now more proportioned from head size to the rest of the body and is looking more and more like a newborn. Baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples!

Snips and snails, and puppy dog tails...

That's what lil boys are made of! We found out yesterday what I've been suspecting all along...Derek and I will be welcoming home a little boy around September 30th!! Baby Parker was very anxious to show off his stuff when we went in for the 21 week ultra sound....there was absolutely NO second guessing it (as you'll see in the video I made). We are both very excited, and it has all of a sudden become a reality for both Derek and myself. I know I posted last week that we would keep the name a secret, but it seems so much better to give the little fellow a head start on his identity...we can't wait for everyone to meet Jude Sevelle.

I have put together two videos to share with you guys...and because I am the child of a former hippie...I added some songs i grew up hearing. LOVE IT! We hope you enjoy!!

Week 21: Jude is 10.5 inches, weighing about 12.7 oz. (our ultra sound says he is 14 oz.). This is about the size of a banana. As your baby's digestive system develops, he will begin to swallow amniotic fluid and absorb small amounts of sugar. However, most of your baby's nutrients are still delivered from the placenta. Inside your uterus, while there's still room, your baby is actively moving around, kicking and flipping positions. You may be able to track patterns in his movement.

Please meet our little man...

Cantaloupe

We've made it halfway! What an accomplishment..everyday I thank God for blessing me with a great pregnancy and healthy baby! I'm pretty sure I deserve a present or night out on the town with the hubby, or some serious pampering, don't you think?? A week from today we will find out boy or girl! This means my week will probably go by very slowly due to the excitement of this appointment...and just a fair warning, Thursday will be a busy day, so I hope to blog on Friday to inform you what it will be :) however I probably wont be able to contain myself and you will find out Thursday night after we surprise the family :) :)

I think we have finally settled on a Boy's name (without killing each other) and we have both always been in love with the Girl name we chose a few years ago....This will be the one surprise revealed on Baby Parker's birthday...until then he/she will be referred to as Baby Parker. (as for the VERY few people who for sure know what names we picked out...NO TELLING!!!!!)The past few nights I have been sleeping like a rock, hallelujah, heartburn has not been unbearable, so as soon as I fall asleep I'm out til one of my potty breaks. They seem to be getting more and more frequent. Pretty much every time I get up from a sitting position I make a stop to the potty. Simple as that :) Walking downtown was very interesting...we learned that in order to use any ones restrooms, you have to buy something. $5 bottle of water= a $5 potty break...well worth it in my opinion.

My first Mother's Day. 19weeks 4 days.

Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day. I am so thankful for my Mommy...she was and still is the best mommy in the world....now it's my turn to try to be the best mommy in the world, then she'll be bumped up to Gommy :) **Side Note: I wanna change my dad's name from PawPaw to Popsi...my husband seems to think this wouldn't be right since he's been a PawPaw, but PawPaw just seems sooo old...and he's not old (never will be), besides I call my dad Popsicle so it just works. Gommy and Popsi Opinions??**

Week 20: Baby is 6.5 inches and weighs 10.6 oz, about the size of a cantaloupe. This week your baby's skin will become covered with a

waxy- like substance called verniz which will protect its skin from becoming scratched or chapped. Your baby is also starting to produce meconium, the result of digestion, which accumulate in its bowels and evntually pass during delivery or in its first diaper. Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrtion and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid.

Mango Mania

Week 19: Baby is 6.0 inches, about the size of a mango weighing 8.5 oz. Many of your baby's senses are developing as specialized areas in the brain that are designated for smell, taste, hearing, vision and touch. Millions of motor neurons are continuing to develop in your baby's brain allowing more controlled and conscious movement.

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of languno, oil, and dead skin cells now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.)

Baby's arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of the body now. Its kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on its scalp is sprouting!

Last night was one of the worst nights of my pregnancy so far. I have never experienced heartburn before...well last night I had an awful introduction to this very common pregnancy symptom. I was up for several hours wishing my stomach would empty and that I could be fed through an IV for the next 20 weeks...I'm not excited about this probably continuing for the remainder of my pregnancy. That being said, there is an old wives tail that states "if you suffer with pregnancy heartburn, your baby will be born with a full head of hair."

Funny, because I have recently been hoping for this baby to have a head full of hair! We have a 50/50 chance...I was born with a head full of black hair and Derek was born bald as a cute old man...whats it going to be? Well I did a little research on this so called "wives tale". Johns Hopkins University actually did a study on women who had heartburn during pregnancy, and the outcome of their baby's hairy or non hairy scalp :) Here is the study...

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have released a study in the journal Birth showing that a correlation between heartburn and the hairiness of a newborn actually exists. The research was conducted by Kathleen Costigan, a registered nurse in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at John Hopkins, and colleagues. The study followed 64 women throughout pregnancy. These women were asked to rank the severity of their heartburn symptoms. When their babies were born, two independent observers rated the thickness of the newborn hair using photographs taken after birth. Seventy-eight percent of the pregnant women reported some level of heartburn, and were able to participate in the study. Of the 28 womenwhoreported moderate to severe heartburn during pregnancy, 82% gave birth to babies with above average hair thickness. Of the 12 women who reported no heartburn symptoms at all, 83% gave birth to babies with very little or no hair.

Enjoy these pics of my hubby and I as babies...maybe I'll be able to handle this heartburn thing if it means Baby Parker has a beautiful head of hair :)

Tater Tot

Well we are quickly, or as Thomas likes to say, fastly approaching the half way mark...in two more weeks I'll be 20 weeks with 20 more to go, and hopefully baby Parker won't be shy, and we'll know if it's a he or she....I hope you guys are guessing on my poll (located to the right o this post)....I see so far we are all hoping/ guessing for a girl :) I would love that, but I do admit that my vote was for a boy...just a feeling.

So this past week I had my first official reoccurring craving....ROAST BEEF POBOY, extra sloppy!

Saturday evening Derek and I tried Mr. Ed's...I ordered the roast beef poboy. It was pretty good, coulda been a lil more salty....well Monday morning I woke up with the intense desire to dig my teeth into a sloppy soggy RB Poboy, AGAIN! This time we went to Short Stop (since my loving father won't open Brother's on the eastbank!) Man was it the best thing ever! Later that day I wanted one for dinner, and on Tuesday morning I was sure to inform Derek that we would be making a stop at Short Stop again...this time he got one too :) I can honestly say that I've never EVER completely eaten an entire poboy..ever. Well Monday and Tuesday I scarfed those suckers down til there was nothing left! Proof, hehe!! Now you want one don't ya!!

They say when your pregnant you can have some crazy dreams...well NEWS FLASH...I've ALWAYS had crazy dreams, soooo now they r just crazier I guess?? So to make this post extra long...I thought you would enjoy this next story....this took place Wednesday night....Setting: my bed middle of the night.....I was knocked out, as usual, dreaming crazy, as usual. In my dream I was walking through a parking lot at night...trying to find my car, which happened to be a mini van in the dream (NEVER going to happen!), I noticed someone following me..so i walk faster...so does he..yikes! I get to my awesome mini van, swing open the side door and grab..........a STRAW! quickly i unwrap it and hold it up in this violators face and say, "If you don't leave me alone I'm going to SHOVE THIS STRAW UP YOUR NOSE!!!!!!". Suddenly the stalker turns into my husband!! He takes the straw from me and starts trying to shove it up my nose! I'm screaming and just imagining how painful this is going to be if he succeeds in getting this thing up my nose! Something is pulling me out of this deep sleep and crazy dream...I open my eyes, lying very still on my back and I hear this very loud and serious belly laugh. You know the kind where all of the air comes

out of your lungs cuz you're laughing so hard? Yes, that kind. So picture me waking up from this crazy dream, where I'm scared for my life, to hear this freaky laughing. Where is it coming from?? Again there it goes, a deep breath in, only to collapse the lungs while laughing....and again.. three times! It's my HUSBAND. lying next to me..yes the one who was just trying to kill me in my dream! I am freaked out, not moving a muscle...is he awake? what is he laughing at? it's the middle of the night!!! the I hear "WELL I BELIEVE THAT!!"..........The man is laughing hysterically and talking in his sleep!!!! who does that??!? Thursday morning while getting ready, I casually ask him..do you happen to remember if you dreamed last night? He says, "Yea, I was on the golf coarse and someone was telling a funny story." I say," CLEARLY it was funny! You were laughing as if a comedian was doing his show in our bedroom at 3am!"

Week 18: Baby is 5.6 inches approx the size of a Sweet Potato weighing 6.7 oz. Many of the

bones in your baby's body are starting to harden. Among these first bones to develop is the inner ear which is part of the reason why your baby may be able to hear sounds such as your heart beating or your tummy growling. Baby's become amazingly mobile, passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel its movements.

Sweet Potato and Mash had a beautiful baby and named her Tater Tot. She grew up and wanted to marry Tom Brokaw. Mash and Sweet Potato were very upset!! Tater Tot said, "But why don't you want me to marry him?!?" Her father replied, "Tom Brokaw??! You can't marry him! He's just a common tater!!!" Get it?

An onion a day keeps everyone away...

Not my lil onion...he or she will be sooo irresistibly cute :) With a combination of all the good traits from mommy and daddy...imagine with me, a head full of beautifully dark hair like mommy, silky hair just like daddy, bright blue green eyes from both mommy and daddy, long legs, pearly whites, perfect skin from Parker(Indian) and Abadie (Italian) genes, cute fingers and toes, Parker lips, a beautiful voice from mommy and grammy, brilliant intelligence from daddy..ahhhh...the perfect combination. BUUUUUT.........who's to say our poor little angel wont inherit the crazy traits...crazy lady Cooper hair (mommy), blind as a bat (mommy), bowed legs and double jointed elbows (mommy), pre- braces hillbilly teeth with the terrible ability to get a cavity daily (mommy and daddy), skin that can't catch a tan to save its life (mommy and daddy), mommy's lips, daddy's voice (yikes!), mommy's brains!!!! OHHH NOOOO we've created a monster! Oh the things I worry about :)

All jokes aside, this baby will be a beautiful healthy, happy, perfect little child of the King. (and in case you are worried, I have a source that is going to tell me if I'm one of those parents who thinks my child is beautiful when it really isn't, right D.C.??)

So here we are at 17 weeks. All is well, I'm at the stage where I have to rig my skirts with a chain of safety pins to fit and the very few maternity skirts that are out there are still a lil bit to big....in my opinion, this is called the "you just look fluffy" stage.

Dottie and I went to my 16 week appointment on Tuesday. It was great. We got to feel my tummy where the baby was. Even though we didn't really know what we were feeling for, we smiled and nodded to the Doc like it was the greatest experience of our lives :) We heard the heartbeat again, except this time Baby Parker was quite active. Could very well have been the buffalo wings I had for lunch prior to the appointment. We could hear the baby kicking, and even though it didn't stay still for very long, Dr. Von Almen got a heartbeat of 150. Once again the statement was made that this could very well be a girl, I'm trying not to get my hopes up. But... he did say a girl twice so YAY!! how can I not get my hopes up?!?!??

We find out on May 2oth what the sex of the baby is. I thought it would be great to take a poll and get everyone's guess on what it may be...we have a month, but submit your guesses to the poll I will post on my blog....We shall see!! Now I don't want any betting going on out there, but if you refuse to take my advice, keep in mind that I deserve a cut of the winnings and my money's on it being a........well I can't tell you, because that may give someone an unfair advantage!!

Week 17: Baby is 5.1 inches, about the size of an onion, weighing 5.9oz.

This week your baby has mastered some simple reflexes such as swallowing, sucking, and blinking. Your baby may even have a bout of hiccups. Fat is forming underneath your baby's skin and will continue to do so in the later months of your pregnancy. This will help prepare your baby for the temperature change from inside your womb to the outside world.

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord is growing stringer and thicker. Baby can move its joints, and its sweat glands are starting to develop. One of a kind prints are now featured on those little fingers and toes!

Holy Guacamole!

Boy have I gotten my energy back! Me, mom, and Michelle painted ALL day yesterday...finally my house looks semi normal again. Surprisingly I was back up and at em at a fairly early hour this morning, so baby Parker is letting me get back to a normal routine. My appetite still isn't quite right....I'm not a morning person, nor do I enjoy eating breakfast, so I find myself forcing down a small amount of food every morning. This isn't my favorite :(
Slowly but surely the baby bump is growing, but I have only gained three pounds thus far. My next appointment is this Tuesday (not to be confused with next Tuesday ;)) I will be taking sweet Dottie with me to hear the heartbeat again. In May we will have our five month ultrasound, and hopefully the baby will be ready to tell us whether it's a boy or girl :)I may or may not have felt Baby Parker moving around in there.....considering I have never been preggo before, I can't tell you for sure. At twelve weeks, while laying in bed, I felt a few flutters that I'm pretty sure were baby flutters. Last night was different. Being busy all day, I took a late night relaxing bath. Once I got settled into bed....I had to sneeze. Well......I am the kinda girl that enjoys a good sneeze. I don't have cute, petite, hold it all in kinda sneezes (unless it just isn't the appropriate time to deafen somebody, ie. a funeral) If you have never heard me sneeze it is obnoxiously loud (they call me Anna, an say I got it from my grandma)...Needless to say, I must have woke up the baby. I felt several different movements that I can't really explain...so maybe it was the baby, I dunno?!?

Baby Info: Baby is 4.6 inches, about the size of an avocado, weighing 3.5 oz. This week your baby's limbs are much more developed, legs and arms are longer and are becoming more controlled in movement. Your baby's skeletal system is developing more as calcium is deposited onto the bones. Over the next couple of weeks your baby's weight will double.

Watch what you say...tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean she can now pick up your voice (or sneezes :)) A few more minuscule changes: Eyebrows, lashes, an hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

He Loves Us...

We had two great services yesterday at New Life...I keep thinking back on the song HOW HE LOVES. I am truly thankful that no matter what I do wrong, God's grace, mercy and love is unfailing. I love the line in this song that says, "If grace is an ocean we're all sinking." I hope you are encouraged as I am to know about the unfailing love of God. When we beat ourselves up for our mistakes, or when we allow the devil to torment us with the past, God says I still love you. Our past mistakes are covered under the blood and thrown into the "sea of forgetfullness" (Micah 7:19, Isaiah 43:25). Only our own flesh can dwell on these things.

I want to do my best to show God the appreciation I have for his love and salvation. We were created to worship and please Him, not ourselves. I pray we understand how important it is that we set aside true dedicated time to give God our full attention. Because of who He is we should humble ourselves in His presence everyday.

Lemon to Orange...

I must start with an apology for not keeping my word last week. I promised that I would blog and never followed through....I feel terrible about that, (biggest fan). This is also why I am dead tired and staying up to finish this week's blog tonight. Last week was busy, I went and visited my bff in Bossier, and had a long drive home on Thursday. Next thing I know its Easter weekend packed with errands, church, family, and no free time to sit down and be creative with my blog. This week an expected yet unexpected miracle happened. Baby Laura (from New Life, who has been in Houston with an enlarged heart) received a heart yesterday and went through a successful heart transplant surgery last night. It all happened so fast...we jumped in the car this morning, drove to Houston, visited with the Mains/Morgans, drove back to Nana and Grandpa's and I am now dead tired, yet thankful for this comfy bed that Grandpa has sacrificed, as well as the miracle that has taken place in Laura's situation!.....so I must combine last week and this week in one fabulously amazing post. OHHH the pressure...

Last week was pretty uneventful, as far as pregnancy goes...I'm still not showing very much. I stopped at Mimi's boutique (in clearview mall) to look at Keesha's stuff. (ps..Keesha has gotten a contract with the owner and is now selling her K Collection's accessories in Mimi's!!! Congrats to her! go check it out people) So I go in to throw her name around, let the owner know she's one of my best friends and that I am only looking to purchase her stuff..hehe...this sparks up a convo of how I am prego and due in September....seriously, she didn't believe me. I had to tell her I wasn't lying about 5 times. People look at me like I'm a liar.. maybe not that dramatic, but its awkward when I'm introduced, "This is my neighbor Leisha", to someone and the second statement is "she's in her second trimester!!"......random person I have just met ***blank stare*** "REALLY?!?!"

Week 14: Baby is 3.4 inches weighing 1.5oz, about the size of a lemon.

This week your baby's well defined face can also make expressions

like a squint or a frown. Some babies may even start growing hair on the head or on the face, such as eye brows. If your baby is a girl her eggs will have already developed inside her ovaries. If your having a boy, his prostate gland is developing. Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine, and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys, and spleen continue to develop.

As week 15 is just beginning, I really don't have much to go on...but I do know that something is going on in there. I have been having minor uncomfortable feelings. Baby Parker is growing as well as my uterus. It's moving on up, so I've been experiencing these new adjustments. Tonight I did get quite irritated (hence the multiple tweets) as I did some research. I happened to stumble upon some photos of miscarriages, very sad, but phenomenal to see the development of a fetus...which IS a BABY/HUMAN BEING/ CREATION OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD...just in case there was any confusion...this then lead me to some photos of abortions. I am literally sickened at what takes place...I won't get into details, and *I will say if you have had an abortion in your past God obviously forgives and you can be/are taken care of by mercy, grace, and covered by the blood. I am in no way directing this to any personal situations.* As Christians we just need to be aware that these things are taking place around us and we should not sit quietly as an agenda is being pushed...all because we are scared to be mocked, ridiculed, or persecuted. It's going to happen whether we keep our mouths shut or we STAND UP FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN. Notice this clever quote shockingly made by the now elected President of the United States of America..(it disgusts me!)

Week 15: Baby is 4.0 inches weighing 2.5 oz, about the size of a naval orange.

The hair on your baby's head is growing in and the follicles will make pigment if your baby has dark hair. Around the body, there is a fine hair (lanugo) to protect against being constantly exposed to amniotic fluid. Your baby's skin is thin and nearly translucent and if you were to take a look inside your womb you'd see small blood vessels forming underneath the skin. Some babies may even be starting to suck their thumb around this time. Continuing the march toward normal proportions, baby's legs now out measure his arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably cant feel the movements just yet.

Thanks for reading this incredibly long post :)