Thirty One and Counting! Single Digits Baby!

I have finally made it to 31 weeks, which means that the countdown is down to the single digits, 9 more weeks to go!  I just can't believe that this is the first week in March and that our little one will be here in May...luckily we have decided on a name, but you all will have to wait just a little longer until we tell a couple more people in person.  So far, the reactions have been pretty decent.  Not that it matters what others think, but it is good to have people that are at least somewhat supportive of your choice.

We had a great weekend this past weekend, as we got to spend a lot of time with our family and friends.  The Transcontinental gals (college friends of ours) threw a beautiful shower on Saturday in Baby Girl's honor.  I just feel so blessed that Baby Girl is going to have such strong female role models in her life and it was great to have them all in one place.  We got so many wonderful gifts, and I can't wait to get started on thank you cards to let everyone know how thankful we are for our friend's and family's generosity.  We have another shower next week, which I'm also excited about since some out of town family will be coming in to visit us.  It took 2 loads to get all of Baby Girl's laundry done, but it was nice to get everything cleaned up and put away since it looks like we will have another round coming this weekend.  My heart is just so full of gratitude and happiness right now.  Here's a couple of pics from the big day, ripped off my friend's facebook profiles just for you:

This has been a good week and a week of reflection for me in a way as I begin to see how real everything is.  The closer we get to May, I'm realizing that as hesitant and unsure as I was of myself about bringing another life into this world, I'm realizing that this was what I was meant to do, and this is why God brought Joey and I together.  It's not as hard as I thought it would be to make changes and sacrifices to the things I'm accustomed too, because I know that what I'm sacrificing for is going to be so worth it.  I had always said I was going to be ready for a child when I wasn't so selfish, and I feel that I am finally in that place.

Enough of the mush, now onto the most annoying symptom of pregnancy this month.  Holy stretch marks, Batman!  It's bad enough that they are rather unsightly and look like a dinosaur or something else with claws has attacked my stomach, they itch like no other. I'm up to lotion application 3 or 4 times a day, and they still itch to high heaven.  I'm going to follow the nurse's advice and "keep 'em greasy", and hopefully I will get some relief.  My grandmother suggested castor oil, and I might just try it if I get desperate enough.

Here's the 31 week update!  Only 9 more of these to go!

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.