Today I hit 30 weeks in my pregnancy, and while it is hugely (appropriate word for those of you who have seen me recently!) exciting, it is also frightening to think of everything that is to come in the next 10 or so weeks. While I'm dying to be able to hold Laurel in my arms, the getting her out into the real world is pretty scary. And there's also all the other preparations that need to be completed before we are ready to welcome a baby into our home and our lives. We're in fairly good condition in the nursery, but there's still a surprising numbers of things we need (like a carseat, stroller, high chair) just to name a few.

I've also entered the realm of general uncomfortableness. No more flinging myself down on the sofa for a little cat nap or cozying up in bed for an uninterrupted night's sleep. I now need a strategic pillow plan to make myself comfortable and an even better plan to get myself to my feet. Poor Tim has to squash himself onto the couch if he wants to cuddle up with me, and then he is subjected to numerous demands to move, scoot over, bend his legs a different way, adjust his arm, etc. He's taking it all in stride, although he does get back at me by teasing me about my daily-widening girth and the development of a waddle when I walk.

Even with these changes, I'm feeling fantastic overall and still have quite a bit of energy. I'm now seeing the obstetrician every two weeks, and in just five weeks that will switch to once-a-week visits.

It has been awhile since I posted my thoughts. I thought now would be a great time to do so.

Things are going wonderfully with the pregnancy. Sarah looks more and more beautiful everyday. The excitement grows more intense with every minute. Laurel moves and kicks almost every time we are lying around at night. It is an awesome feeling I get when I feel her kick around, I guess it is an assurance that all is well. I have been “having” to feel her at night or I get a little worried. By the way, she does react to a flashlight! Just like me!

My cousin asked me last week what it is like knowing that I am going to be a dad. I could not really answer that question without thinking. Right now, everything seems the same as it was before she got pregnant. The only changes are physical with Sarah, and I try not to get too wrapped up in thinking about it because I start to worry too much. When I do sit down to think about it, I get all “tingly” inside. I just can’t wait to be able to touch her, to hold her, to hug her, to kiss her and most of all I can’t wait for her to feel the warmth that we have to offer her.

Over Thanksgiving we sat down with the family and watched the Bucket List. (It you don’t want to tear up….DON'T WATCH IT!) At one point in the movie Morgan Freeman asks Jack Nicholson about joy. He asks him something like, “Do you have joy?” and, “Have you brought joy to others?” I have thought about these questions ever since that night. At one point over the weekend I looked up the definition of joy. I am not sure if I have brought joy to others, but I am definitely sure that I have something in my life to be joyful about, as a matter of fact I am completely overflowing with joy!

I am getting wrapped up in the baby’s room. I just want it to be perfect for her…not too hot, not too cold, the bed in the perfect position, correct lighting…. Sarah may have to fight me out of there. I think I might be getting a little obsessive.

As far as the grandparents go, I am pretty sure we have some anxious ones. The grandmothers are starting to act like grandmothers and the granddads well, they are hard to read but they seem to be excited, too.

All of our friends are very supportive. We have people buying things, sending us things and best of all we have people making us things. Not that I don’t appreciate the other stuff but the making stuff just seems more personal to me.

Tim and I went for a 3d/4d ultrasound yesterday at Stork Vision at the Bristol Regional Medical Center. It was a great session and we got some really good views of our little girl. Here's my favorite.

The doctor commented on how much she moves, which is very true. I really don't think the child is ever still (a little too much like Tim if you ask me). She even showed off for us a little and stuck her tongue out.

You can tell that she was a little camera-shy yesterday, as every time the doctor tried to get a good luck at her face, she would put her hands in front of it or (as you can see at the end of the video), completely turn her back on us.

Well, I've made it two thirds of the way through! I'm so excited to hit the third trimester mark. It seems that the second trimester absolutely flew by. It took forever to get there, and now it's gone. The nervousness of "OMG, I'm actually going to have to give birth to this child" is just now starting to creep in, but I have almost three more months to panic about that. I've got a 3d/4d ultrasound scheduled tomorrow, so hopefully Laurel will cooperate and let us see her beautiful face. I'll try to have pictures posted by tomorrow afternoon or evening.

I usually just delete all the email forwards that I get, but the name of this one (A Newborn's Conversation with God) got my attention. I read it, cried, and then thought I would share it with everyone. It is a little cheesy, but I like it (and I'm very emotional right now!)

A baby asked God, 'They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?' God said, 'Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.'

The child further inquired, 'But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.' God said, 'Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.'

Again the child asked, 'And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?' God said, 'Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.'

'And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?' God said, 'Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.'

'Who will protect me?' God said, 'Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.'

'But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.' God said, 'Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.'

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, 'God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.'

God said, 'You will simply call her, 'Mom.'

I had my first baby shower on Saturday, November 15 at my friend Rachel's home. It was hosted by my best friends, Rachel, Jamie and Jennifer. It was an incredible brunch shower with WONDERFUL food (blueberry crepes, hashbrown casserole, quiche, freshly sliced ham, biscuits, and hot apple cider). My girls know how much I LOVE breakfast food! It was so awesome because my closest friends and a few of my "surrogate" moms were there. Everyone brought books for Laurel along with their gifts, which I'm so thankful for. Reading with my little girl is one of the things I look forward to the most as a mother.

Here's almost everyone who attended the shower.

Here's me showing off one of the books I received.

This is a good picture of how much my belly has grown!

And finally, here are my best girlfriends!

Lastly, I just want to thank my lovely hostesses so much for such an incredible shower. It means so much to me that Laurel will come into this world surrounded by so many people who love her so much.

It's amazing what a difference a week can make. I've felt Laurel move for about 10 weeks now (felt LOTS of movement for the past six weeks). However, within the past week, you'd think she's training for a marathon or a gymnastics meet in there! She's especially wiggly in the morning from about 9:30 until noon. I sit at my desk and try to get work done and she's bouncing all over the place! I can feel her move pretty much all day long with no more than an hour or two between movements. I'm really starting to get a little concerned about how much she's going to move when space really starts to get tight in there!

Even though it can be a bit strange at times, I'm so happy that she moves so much. It is so reassuring to me that things are still going alright. I think if she went a day without moving, I'd really freak out! Also, I forgot to post it, but I passed my one-hour glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes. WooHoo!! I'm so relieved I don't have to go through the three-hour test!

Nothing too exciting going on, but with the election and everything I didn't have much time to post so I thought I'd let everyone know that things are going well. I'm getting bigger by the day. Laurel is moving all the time now, and luckily I'm still feeling really good.

I've got my next doctor's appointment on November 19th, and then I'll start having appointments every two weeks. It's amazing that I'll be in the third trimester in just two weeks. I'm also looking forward to my first Baby Shower Saturday, Nov. 15th. It's being thrown by Jamie, Rachel and Jennifer, and I know it will be tons of fun!