Happy Mother's Day!

Let me say a quick Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there. I am now getting just a small taste of that sacrifice that every mother willingly gives to the most beautiful miracle from God. Love you all!

----

I'm at 32 weeks, with only 8 weeks to go (give or take). I had two doctors appointments this week on Wednesday. It was a busy day! The first was my rheumatologist, which was just my 3 month routine check-up and everything is going well in that department. Nothing concerning my arthritis should cause any sort of complications to be looking for. She did mention that the symptoms of my arthritis could come back in full force immediately following the delivery or within 6 weeks after the baby is born. Our prayer is that God will heal me completely from this disease. So, we ask for your prayers in this as well. We will have another appointment with her around mid-August to see how I am doing.

The second appointment was with our nurse/mid-wife and she squooshed around on my tummy to find that the baby is still head down with a strong, easy to find, heartbeat! YAH! She also measured me and I am the perfect size for 32 weeks. Isn't it wonderful for someone to see your big 'ole belly and say that you are the perfect size...heeheehee. I love it! I have had a horrible case of reflux and was hardly able to eat anything without the problem. So, to give relief, my doctor did give me a wonderful little pink pill that has made everyday life and eating soooo much better. I have been very pro-active about not taking uneccessary medicine... and well, this became VERY necessary. :)

Anyway, everything is just cruising along, the baby's room is slowly being decorated, and he is such the squirmer! Sometimes i think he and my belly are just going to get up and walk on out of here without me! :)

Alrighty, here is the good baby stuff!

-----

Baby Update:
By now, your baby probably weighs almost 4 pounds and is almost 17 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. He has tiny toenails now, and his fingernails have grown in, too. Some babies have a head of hair already; others have only peach fuzz. Hmmm.... will he have brown hair or red hair???

My Update:
Your blood volume (the plasma plus red blood cells) is now about 40 to 50 percent greater than before you became pregnant to accommodate the needs of you and your baby. (This extra amount also helps make up for any blood you'll lose when giving birth.) You're also gaining a pound a week now, and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and adding pressure on your abdomen, you may be dealing with heartburn more often or feeling a little short of breath. To help with shortness of breath, try eating smaller quantities more often (rather than three daily feasts) and sleeping propped up. Those smaller meals should help with the heartburn, too.

As your baby grows, the increasing concentration of weight in your growing belly causes a change in your posture and a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, your abdominal muscles are stretching, hormones are making your ligaments more lax, and your growing uterus may even press on some nerves. All of this can contribute to low back pain and possibly to some pain in your buttocks and thighs as well. Let your caregiver know if you have severe pain or feel numbness or tingling in your legs.

Baby Image at 32 weeks:
http://www.babycenter.com/general/1498740.html

------

Robby and I are also in discussion about using a doula during the birth. This is an additional cost but one that may be a tremendous help since i am trying to go as natural as possible (you can keep that in your prayers too. HAHA). Please keep this in your prayers so that we know what decision will be the best for us and for our little miracle.

Love you all!