30 Weeks

Well I hit 30 weeks today and so far everything is right on track! Melody should be about 3 lbs. now and 17 inches long. According to my doctor she is developing right on schedule with a nice steady heartbeat. She is definitely moving around and kicking all the time, making me not want to remove my hand from on top of my tummy! Ryan enjoys teasing me about how often I "obsess" about her movement, but it is quite the experience and i love getting to feel her move. I can't believe that I'll be able to really touch and hold her in just 10 more weeks. I try to imagine what she might look like and how big she'll be. It will be interesting to see how I hold up physically because it seems like there's no way I could possibly get any bigger! But she's growing about a lb./week so she's gotta have room to grow somehow. These next 2 1/2months are definitely gonna be a little stressful trying to figure out the nursery, registry items, finances, etc, but Ryan and I continue to trust in God's direction and provision for this next phase of our lives. We don't have all the answers but hope to savor this time together as we prepare for Melody's arrival. I think it is easy to get caught up and overwhelmed with all the details and the "right" things to buy or to add to my registry. Yes we need to be prepared and still have plenty of things to do, but in a few short months she'll be here and we can only hope to show and give her as much love and care as we know how. We appreciate all the love and support we've received from family and friends and are thankful for all the encouragement along the way :)

Yep, I feel very Pregnant

Our friends and family are really helping us get ready for Melody with baby showers!! My sister threw my first shower for me up in Dallas this past weekend and I had such a great time hanging out with my close girlfriends. Alecia really went all out with the decorating and fun games, and I already got some wonderful items to start filling up the nursery :) Melody received some of her first embroidered burp clothes, diaper bag, and bloomers, which I can't wait to use. The more I see and use her name and feel her kick it continues to feel more real that she'll be here in a few months. I'll be having a few more showers in the next month or two and can't wait to see what other cute baby items Melody will receive. We'll definitely be set for diapers after Ryan's guy diaper shower this weekend! I love explaining this to people because usually new mommies get all the showers and the guys miss out on all the "fun" ;) But a few of Ryan's friends have started having diaper showers as an excuse to get together over food, drinks, and football. My dad asked if Ryan would have to actually wear a diaper to his shower...and after thinking it over I think it should be a must! Here's a few pics of me and my girls from my first shower:So I love when people ask me how I feel...because even though I've had incredibly "easy" pregnancy so far I'm really starting to feel pregnant (in the not-so-cute I have a belly way!). I've been wearing these awesome self-adhesive icy hot patches on my lower back to help minimize the throbbing pain I feel on a daily basis. And I'm not even into my third trimester yet, oh boy. I've had lower back issues for quite some time, so the extra weight distributed unevenly in the front is not making things any easier. Switching to hostess at the Melting Pot has helped a little bit, but becoming a nanny three days a week for baby Addi is another load altogether! I have absolutely loved my new part-time work, taking care of the Reichle's 14 week old baby girl, but just need to be careful about all the picking up and holding I'm doing! In just a few days I have already learned so much about becoming a mommy and can't wait to see what will come next. Taking care of her during the day has allowed me to invision what routines might be like when Melody gets here. Sometimes while I'm holding Addi, Melody will kick and I wonder if she can feel it! I'm so thankful for this head-start in motherhood because I still have so much to learn about before she gets here.

Now that I'm at 26 weeks, Ryan and I are really starting to get things together for Melody...from painting the nursery to buying/setting up baby furniture to baby showers! We finished painting the nursery this past week and it looks great! The colors came out a little lighter (and a little pinker!) than I thought, but once the nursery is all set up I think it will compliment everything well. Here's a few before and after pics and I'll put more up as things come together.