Pregnancy week 31

I am finally doing it...starting a blog for our family. I have been trying to get it up and going for a while now. You can read as often as you want. We thought this would be a good ways for those of you that are far away to feel close and see what is going on. So here goes...

Doctors Visit
We had our 31 week check up with the little guy this last Friday. Everything is progressing well as far as we know. He is growing and so am I. In the ultrasound we saw his mouth moving. It was sweet! Some of you know that we have been praying for the placenta move up and it appears to be doing so. Yeaahhh!

This ultra-sound is of his face. Can you see his eye sockets and mouth? I feel him moving all the time now. Little kicks and jabs in the side. As a matter of fact he woke me up last night. I guess I better get used to that:) According to the books, the baby weighs about 3.5 pounds and could survive just fine if born right now. He is between 16-18 inches long!!!

Babies Room
We have moved Dave's office out of the babies room (sorry Dave) and into our bedroom, so it is officially a nursery. It doesn't quite look like one yet, but it is coming along. Thanks to so many people that have been so generous and giving to us through this pregnancy we have a crib, changing table/dresser, glider chair, clothes, blankets, and many other things to get started. We are so thankful. You can start to see that we are going with a surf theme. We live in California and thought it was fitting. If he takes after his dad, he will love the water.


Natural Childbirth
We have really come to appreciate the philosophy of natural childbirth. I have heard many people talk about it in a negative aspect, as if the only way to do things now is to do what your doctor says. Oh...you mean you are not going to have pain medication..good luck...just wait until you are in labor. Although, I have never had a child before and have no idea what the pain is like I have been given the tools and a very supportive and loving husband that I want to try. Debra Reinstra says it best in her book Great with Child "Suffering is pain that can be redeemed toward growth...coming to this birth crisis with luxury of expert care and meditative reflection, birth pain represents simple suffering-pain that is deliberately prepared for and accepted because it has evident meaning and purpose. " The absence of pain is not always a good thing I am learning and am excited to see what else I learn through this process of childbirth, because that is what it is, not a medical procedure.
We have chosen to do a Bradley birth. You can read a lot more about it here on the Bradley website.

Taken from Wikipedia..."Teachers of The Bradley Method® believe that with adequate preparation and education along with help from a loving, supportive coach, most women can give birth naturally - without drugs or surgery. The Bradley Method® emphasizes measures that can be taken to stay healthy and low-risk to help avoidcomplications that may lead to medical intervention. The primary goal of The Bradley Method® is healthy mothers and healthy babies. The method holds that in most circumstances, a natural childbirth (drug free) is the best way to achieve that goal. Over 87% of Bradley® moms having vaginal births do so without drugs. The classes teach nutrition and relaxation and natural abdominal breathing as pain management techniques, and active participation of the husband as coach. Parents-to-be are taught to be consumers of birth services and to take responsibility to make informed decisions regarding procedures, attendants and the birth place."

Dave and I have been in these classes for about 8 weeks now. We have really learned a lot and feel empowered to have a natural birth. We hope that with the support of the people around us and at the hospital we will bring a happy and healthy baby boy into the world naturally. We know things do not always go as you want them too, but we are excited about trying. Our instructor has been great and if you live in the LA area you should consider taking it from Kathy Killebrew.

Baby Showers

When Dave and went to Michigan in August my sister, my mom and my aunt Amy threw a shower for us for friends and family from the mid-west. I was so special to see everyone. My grandparents came up from Florida. Here is a picture from the shower of some of my good friends in Michigan, whom I miss a ton.

We have also had a shower in Colorado with the Jackson family and one in Azusa put on by Adam and Becca Carpenter.

Here are a few from the one in Colorado. We were there for my cousin Kevin's wedding and they all surprised me with a shower.