Week 16

Look at how little I am at week 16!! And to think, when I was actually there, I was feeling kind of large!

Week 16 started on September 18th. Baby Center says that the babe is now 4.5 inches long, and 3.5 ounces. That's really hard to imagine! Isn't it amazing the things the Lord can do?

I have marked on my calendar that Monday the 21st was my worst night of sleep to date, and I'm pretty sure that still holds true. I tried sleeping everywhere, and just could not sleep! Not sure what the deal was.

On the 22nd I had a lunch date with my dear friend Ruth. We sat talking for hours about lots of things, and it was really delightful - with one exception. This was the day that I learned that it's very common for women to poop during delivery! I couldn't believe it! I'm really mortified about the idea, even though women who have had babies have reassured me several times that it really won't be a big deal. I can't get it out of my head!

And on that note, I think that's about it for week 16!

Cinzetti's

Our church had an Elder's Retreat
a few months back where all the elders and their wives went out of town for a day to talk about the direction our church will be heading over the next year or so.

We had the pleasure of visiting Cinzetti's Italian Market Restaurant. As the name probably sugguests, Cinzetti's is an Italian buffet set up to look like an open air market. It's pretty fun!

It was about $15/person, and I believe they even allow kids 12 and under to eat free on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

I would definitely suggest it, if you're ever near one sometime! We had a great time (as you could tell from the picture!) and the food was fabulous!

I should go make some dinner now...writing this post made me hungry!

Week 15

Week 15 of my pregnancy started on September 11th.

On the 11th is when I found the bedding for the nursery that I posted about previously. I've decided to go a different route since then, but I still really like the bedding, and it was really cheap, so I'll keep it around just in case!

I did have a pregnancy first this week! :) On the 15th was the first (and only, so far) time that I've wet myself (just a tiny bit!) while sneezing. Hehe...I don't think I would normally share this, but it struck me as kind of funny, so I wrote it down!

The 15th is also when mom and I started registering for the baby. Micah is really really not in to that sort of thing, so we thought it would be fun if mom went with me. And, it definitely was! :) It took us a few more outings to finish the registries because I was getting tired so easily, but we had a great time. We ended up registering at Babies R Us and Baby Depot (a part of Burlington Coat Factory.)

I had another first this week too, on the 17th, that has actually occurred many times since then. I noticed my gums bleeding just a bit while brushing my teeth. There are so many things I never knew were associated with pregnancy, it's kind of crazy.

In fact, I probably wouldn't have known that this was one of the things if it weren't for the Baby Center updates I've been getting in my e-mail box. At 16 weeks, our baby Hoover should be about 4 inches long and 2.5 ounces. It's really fun to know those little stats - it makes it more real some how!

Pioneer Woman Giveaway

If you haven't noticed yet, Pioneer Woman is doing a giveaway on her blog today that is delightful!

She is inviting 4 people to come to her house for a sushi demonstration / weekend getaway!

I practically squealed when I saw it, then quickly realized that the dates for the event are way too close to Hoover's arrival for me to be able to go.

But, that doesn't mean YOU shouldn't hop on over and enter! I'll be jealous if you win, but I'll get over it.

Go check it out, and have a fabulous Thursday.

Week 14

Week 14, which would have fallen on September 4th through the 10th, was a pretty exciting week in the pregnancy.

The week started with Labor Day weekend, which we spent at a camp work retreat. While at camp, we met one of our new nephews, Joel. I'm not sure if it was Joel's arrival that sparked Micah's thought process or not, but he started making a few comments that made me wonder if he was having second thoughts about a hospital birth.

Micah and I had talked about delivery options several times before we'd gotten pregnant, and he was pretty set on having a hospital birth. So, when I found out I was pregnant, I made an appointment with a midwife that could practice in the hospital, so that he could have the hospital birth, and I could have a little more relaxing atmosphere.

Then on the 8th or so he brought home The Business of Being Born which is a documentary (a bias one, I think - but aren't all documentaries?) about home births.

By this time, I was really starting to wonder what was in his head! After talking for a while, he said that I could switch to the birthing center!

I had an appointment with my first midwife on Wednesday the 9th. I called the birthing center to enroll with them (I had to strike while the iron was hot - didn't want Micah changing his mind again!) and they told me to go ahead and keep my appointment on the 9th because they wouldn't be able to get me in that soon. So, I went to my 2nd, and last, appointment with my midwife where I weighted 148.5 lbs, which is a total gain of 3.5lbs thus far, but down 1.5lbs from the last appointment. My mom accompanied me to this appointment so that she could hear the heart beat.

This year I'm trying to read through the Bible chronologically. Because of this, I read the first few chapters of Genesis, then skipped to Job and read all of it before returning to Genesis.

Two things have really popped out to me so far in my reading. (Well, more than 2 things, but these are the ones that are on my heart today.)

Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. - Genesis 5:24

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. - Job 1:1

After reading these verses, I couldn't help but think about what people will say of me when I'm no longer around. But not just what people would say about me, but what the Lord would want people to know about me.

One sentence each for these men, but they speak wonders about the way they lived their life. Just a few words, but a mighty testimony as to what pleases the Lord.

Could it be said of me that I walked with the Lord, as Enoch did? When reflecting on my life, would God Himself call me blameless and upright? Would He say that I feared Him and turned away from evil?

I love finding little nuggets like this in the Old Testament. It's nice to find things that are applicable to my life, things that I can work towards.

I hope you're finding little treasures as you read through His word this year!

Hoover

I mentioned in my last pregnancy post that we call our babe Hoover. Here's "the rest of the story":

It all started when my brother and his wife were pregnant with my now 3 year old niece Hannah. Micah and I were bowling with my parents one Sunday night, and we got to talking about baby names. One of dad's only inputs to the conversation was that he wanted to make sure we didn't pick any "weird names like they're doing these days" for our boys. He wanted to make sure we picked "strong, normal names".



"Dad, what would you suggest?" I ask, thinking he'd be voting for Tom, since that's his name.

"I don't know, something like, Hoover!"

So, in honor of my dad, we decided to name our babe Hoover while in the womb. This allows us to be able to use pronouns without actually knowing the sex of our baby. And, it gives us something to call the Babe instead of "it" or "he/she" all the time.

So, there you have it!

My favorite line...

from a really great book, Anne of Green Gables:

The blind was drawn and the lamp lighted, for an important toilet was being made.

Enjoy your day!!

Week 13

Whew! With that break to share about my pregnancy brain, and then Christmas and the new year, it's been a while since I've blogged about my pregnancy on a week to week basis!

My week 13 with baby Hoover started on August 28th, the day of my brother Justin and his wife Ashley's second shower. Yay for nephews/cousins! (That just reminded me - I've never shared with you how our baby got the name Hoover, have I? I'll do that soon!)

On that following Sunday, I got baptized. Our church did it out at the lake, and had a potluck and celebration afterwards. It was such a delight to see everyone who also got baptized - including my mom, 2 of my sister-in-laws and one of my nephews.

Not to mention Hoover! :) Though, I'm not trying to start a debate on infant baptism (OR fetus baptism, for that matter). I just thought it was funny. I wonder how many other women have been baptized while pregnant?

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2010!

What did everyone choose for their New Year's Resolutions, if anything?

I really tried not to have any goals this year. In fact, I had already written a post about how I thought it might be a good idea not to set myself up for failure with a new babe coming, and not knowing what to expect and so forth.

Then, I went and made a goal. It's nothing big, but should be enjoyable! I'm hoping to learn to cook 1 new thing per week. I'm not going to be real strict on the when the week starts and ends, I just hope to have about 50 new attempts under my belt by the end of the year!

I've already tried my hand at guacamole...and it was very tasty! I'll be sure to try that again. It was a first just to gut the avacado instead of having Micah do it for me!

I have also cooked my first turkey! I bought a couple when they were real cheap around Thanksgiving, but waited until last week to actually cook one. Now I've got lots of turkey meat in my freezer waiting to be used. That feels good. :) And, one more to cook!

This week I'm going to try my hand at cinnamon rolls!

Anyone got any suggestions for some other things to try? Some of my ideas include making cheese cake, and using lemon zest in something (I've always thought that was weird - but I hear it's good).

Hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend.