I may not know what a Rutabaga is, but I do know I love my 25 week baby bump!

Along: 25 weeks! Ladies and Gentlemen we have a Rutabaga!

Size: Little Luda is 13.5 inches long and weighs roughly 1.5 pounds. Our Nugget's body parts are starting to become more proportional  and fat is continuing to fill in his/her wrinkled skin. Our Nuggets hair is also starting to grow more and is developing texture and color. Here's to a chunky baby with lots of hair!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: The official number as of yesterday is 11 pounds. I'm starting to feel more round these days, but don't get my wrong, I'm loving it!

Maternity Clothes: I went shopping with my Mom this past Sunday and she stocked me up for the fall! I'm so excited to rock out some of these maternity clothes, but for right now, it's still a mix of both!

Gender: 15 weeks until the big reveal!

Movement: This is my favorite part of pregnancy and I have a feeling I'm really going to miss the feeling I have when our Nugget moves around in my belly. From here on out I have to do kick counts, 10 after breakfast and 10 after dinner. As much as this Nugget moves, this shouldn't be a problem, but it still makes me a little nervous. Here's to hoping Little Luda stays just as active as always. 

Sleep: It's hit or miss, but I'm thankful for what I get. Putting a pillow between my knees and a longer pillow by my side definitely seems to help.

Cravings: Spinach salads, tomatoes, fruit, waffles/toaster strudels, anything with cinnamon and anything cold.

Symptoms: Heartburn, leg pain and abdominal pressure...my belly seems to be growing at lightening speed!

What I'm Thankful For: I could probably say this every week, but I'm so thankful for Shawn. He has been such a great support to me throughout this pregnancy and I couldn't ask for a better man to call my Husband and Baby Daddy! We've been under a lot of stress as a couple, having a baby and purchasing our first home at the same time hasn't been the easiest thing, but he is handling it all with such ease which keeps me calm in the more stressful moments. He is constantly calming my fears and reminding me that although we may not have it all together, God does. Plus he talks to our Baby, love feeling him or her move and tells me how beautiful I am everyday. What more could a pregnant wife ask for??

Best Moment of the Week: This week has been full of excitement. On Friday, our Nephew came home to be with his Mom and Dad. On Sunday afternoon we had lunch at my Grandma's, spent time with family, Mom took me shopping for maternity clothes and showed me the Nursery her and my Dad (and Melanie) are working on. Sunday evening we had a fish fry and celebrated ETHAN CHRISTIAN LANGE and on Monday we walked through our townhouse. The Lord has definitely blessed us and although I don't feel deserving, I am so thankful to have such a loving Heavenly Father.

No official bump picture this week, but here are a few shots of little Luda's nurseries. Mom and my cousin Melanie are doing such a good job in the nursery at my parents house. Maybe I'll have to hire them to make our nursery just as special! ; )

Love this angel already!

Granny's favorite flower!

Little Luda's Nursery! This will be our first house project come October.

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:37-39

Meeting Ethan!

Shawn and I had been planning to go home this past Sunday and Monday, but last Tuesday when we got the phone call that we'd been giving the greatest gift, a nephew, our plans quickly changed from a normal trip home to a celebration! Kim and Markus, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, had been waiting 6 years to be parents and their wait was up. They'd been chosen to be the parents of a bouncing baby boy!

On Sunday, my Dad had been planning to have a fish fry, so it turned into the perfect way to welcome the newest addition to our family, Ethan Christian Lange. As soon as my sister-in-law walked in the door carrying that little bundle of joy, tears started flowing. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I couldn't help it, plus my hormones are just a wee bit out of whack. 

With that being said, Ethan is perfect and Kim and Markus are going to make great parents. I could not be more happy for them and I am so thankful that we get to journey into parenthood together! Here's to bigger and much noisier family functions.

Shawn decided to snap a few pictures of me and my bump while the sun was setting.

24 weeks, 3 days

Love my baby bump!

Dad getting everything ready for the Fish Fry!

And here he is, Ethan Christian Lange!

Ethan and Uncle Shawn!

He's already a charmer

Mom had to take a turn with the little guy!

Allison and Ethan

Love this little guy already!

Daddy

Mommy

He loves his Mommy!

Could he be anymore perfect?!?

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17

Twenty-Four Ears of Corn!

*I don't feel like this pictures do my belly justice, but this was early morning, pre-breakfast!*

Along: 24 weeks, our little Corn on the Cob! With the way this baby moves, which I love, I really feel like there could be 24 ears of corn in there!

Size: Little Luda is roughly 12.5 inches long and weighs about 1.25 lb. He or she is rapidly developing senses and should probably be able to sense what is upside down or right side up. Little Luda's respiratory system is also rapidly growing, lungs are developing in preparation for breathing, moving amniotic fluid in and out. For now the little one is still getting oxygen from the placenta, so bake baby bake!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still hanging out around the 10 lb mark. I have a doctor's appointment next week, so we will have an official number then. With that being said I feel like I am really starting to pop...some days more than others, but I sure do love my baby bump! 

Maternity Clothes:  I'm going shopping with my mom this weekend and I can not wait! Summer clothes are still working out pretty well, but I'll be down to slim pickings once fall is in full swing and I want to be prepared.

Gender: ?????????

Movement: Little Luda loves to move, which is awesome because his parents are quite the active ones. Baby's favorite times to move are right after a meal, especially when dessert is involved. We're starting to see lots of movement now too and not just feel it, which is just another sign of our healthy, growing baby.

Sleep: I'm able to get solid sleep for about 6-8 hours and then after that I'm waking up every so often to check the clock. Getting power naps in the middle of the day is definitely a strong suit of mine and I'm sure they will come in handy once Little Luda arrives.

Cravings: Fruits, salads, Chik-fil-a, and ice cream/frozen yogurt!

Symptoms: Nothing new to report. Still battling heartburn. The legs cramps have let up this week, which I attribute to me making a effort to eat more foods with potassium. I pee pretty frequently, but I'm usually able to make it through the night with out a trip to the restroom, so I'll take it. For the most part I feel great!

What I'm Thankful For: Answered prayer. At the beginning of the week I wasn't feeling well. I had some cold-like symptoms and the lymph nodes in my neck/along my jaw decided to swell up. At one point is looked like I had a golf ball in my cheek. I was worried about having to take antibiotics, but with a lot of prayer the swelling went down and I was back to normal in just a few days.

Best Moment of the Week: Our best moment of the week is probably our biggest answer to prayer. Shawn's sister and her husband had started the process of adopting after battling with infertility. They have waited 6 years to become parents and on Tuesday we found out that the wait was over and yesterday Kim and Markus got to meet and hold their little boy for the first time! Just 7 weeks old, this little guys is already stealing our hearts and tomorrow they will bring Ethan Christian Lange home. Seeing God work in my brother and sister's lives has been such a blessing and this answer to prayer is just a testament to God's faithfulness.

What's even more of a blessing is that when Shawn and I found out that we were expecting Little Luda our specific prayer was that Kim and Markus would be able to bring home a baby before Little Luda made his/her entrance into the world in December. We knew that the adoption process could take a couple months or it could take over a year, but we knew that God could provide the perfect little one for Kim and Markus.  God did provide and He is faithful. He loves us and shows us that love time and time again.

"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" - Romans 8:15

Having a child is such a blessing and be blessed with that child through the avenue of adoption is true imagery of our adoption as sons and daughters of God. Thank you Father!

We get to meet Ethan this weekend, which we are so excited about and will have pictures to share then, but for now here is a sneak peek of what will be going up in Little Luda's nursery. I can't wait to move into our new home and get everything ready for our little ones arrival!

Mango Baby!

We stole this chair for the picture from our miniature roommate...hope he doesn't mind! ; )

Along: 23 weeks!

Size: Little Luda is 11 inches long and weighing in at just over a pound, about the size of a mango. At this point he or she can feel me move, so it looks like I need to start having regular dance parties! Really it's only fair because I can DEFINITELY feel our Nugget moving around in my belly and I love it! Blood vessels in our baby's lungs are developing to prepare the baby for breathing and the sounds our baby can pick up are preparing him or her for entry into our crazy busy/loud world!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think I am coming in close to the 10 lbs mark. With all the eating, especially the ice cream, that really doesn't surprise me at all! I'm trying to keep my diet balanced, but I'll admit is can be really hard. As long as me and Little Luda are healthy, that's all I care about!

Maternity Clothes:  My Mom bought me a belly band this week and I LOVE it! I'm hoping to do some shopping for clothes here soon because my shirts are starting to ride up my baby bump. Have I mentioned how much I love my baby bump?!?

Gender: Everyone around me thinks I have a little boy growing in my belly, so I guess I should swing my vote to the blue side, but I'll stick with girl. Either way in 17 weeks we will be holding our precious baby and I just can't wait to meet our Nugget!

Movement: We're starting to see little movements from the outside, which I think is so cool. Shawn can usually stand to feel the baby move around for about a minute and then he starts to get a little weary. He feels like Little Luda is going to bust out of me! I know this sensation is only going to increase as time passes, but feeling our Little Luda move is the best feeling I have ever known, so I'm excited!

Sleep: This weekend was pretty busy with me working and then making a trip down to North Carolina, so in a 48 hour period I only got about 6 hours of sleep, which was rough. With that I take what sleep I can get at night and take as many naps as me and Little Luda require. 

Cravings: Strawberries, Peaches, Chocolate and Chex Mix. 

Symptoms: Heartburn, leg cramps, general muscle fatigue and a small bladder.

What I'm Thankful For: This beautiful weather...among many other things! The weather this past week has been gorgeous and I'm so thankful that the Lord blessed us with beautiful days!

Best Moment of the Week: On Sunday afternoon Shawn and I drove to Annapolis, Maryland and spent the evening exploring the Sailing Capital of the World. We stayed in a Historic Inn and then toured the USNA on Monday morning before heading back home. Having some time to relax, with no schedule to follow, was just what the two of us needed. We talked, laughed and even started reading a new book together. It was perfect.

 

Love these next two pictures!

22 Weeks!

Along: 22 weeks!

Size: Little Luda is the size of a Spaghetti Squash coming in at about 11 inches and weighing around 1 pound! Our babies lips, eyelids and eyebrows are becoming more distinct and tiny tooth buds are developing beneath out baby's gums.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think it is funny that I keep writing weight loss, because I don't think I will be loosing any pounds for quite some time. With that being said I believe I have gained between 7-8 pounds. 

Maternity Clothes:  I have been doing some looking at maternity clothes because I anticipate having to buy some soon. Everything I look at seems so, "maternity," if that makes sense at all. I having a feeling that post-pregnancy I will not be buying anything with an empire waist. With that being said, I'm still able to make most of the items in my closet work, but pants definitely feel more comfortable if I use the hair-tie trick to get them together. 

Gender: I keep asking Little Luda, but no news yet.

Movement: This has got to be my favorite thing about being pregnant. I love laying down or sitting back and just feeling Little Luda move around in my belly. There really isn't any better feeling in the world.

Sleep: The nights I work are tough. I tend to have more trouble sleeping during the day, but when I do sleep, I sleep deep, so I'll take what I can get.

Cravings: I've had a major sweet tooth this week, so ice cream (especially soft-serve with rainbow sprinkles) and chocolate covered raisins are hitting the spot. And then of course there are the stables, fruit and anything cold to drink. I'm hungry ALL the time, so food in general is my craving.

Symptoms: Heartburn, exhaustion, a really small bladder and muscle cramps, especially in my calf muscles. 

What I'm Thankful For: With us moving into our friends basement we don't have a cable box downstairs. Not having the distraction of hours of recorded TV shows to watch has been really nice for both Shawn and I. We've eaten meals outside, gone for more walks and Shawn has been playing his guitar more, which I love. I can't wait to watch him play music and sing to Little Luda when he or she arrives.

Best Moment of the Week: We had our pre-drywall meeting for our townhouse this week! It's crazy to think that things are moving so quickly. Soon we will have our delivery date and then before we know it we will go to closing. Time is flying!



First picture in the Baby's room.



Love this guy.

We're going Bananas! Twenty-One Weeks!

Along: 21 weeks!

Size: This week our little nugget is the size of a banana. He or she is still practicing swallowing and since taste buds have developed, can now taste what I am eating! So, I need to make sure to vary what I'm eating, because research shows that my baby will be more eager to eat the foods later on that I eat while the baby is in utero. So bring on the fruits and vegetables!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and the official number is 6 pounds. I met another physician in my primary OB's practice and he seemed to think that was ok, so if they are ok with it, then I'm ok with it!

Maternity Clothes:  Still rocking my normal clothes, at least most of them. I have a few pairs of "skinny" jeans that no longer fit, but most of my stuff fits, so I'm rolling with it. I'm thinking that in the next couple of weeks I'll have to venture into the maternity section of stores.

Gender: All I have to say this week is that I'm just excited to meet Little Luda. Boy or girl, this Nugget is going to be so loved!

Movement: Tons of movement and I love it!

Sleep: It's hit or miss, but I'm feeling pretty good, so I'll take what I can get.

Cravings: I can't really pinpoint anything in particular, but if I had to give it a go I'd say, potato chips, Greek yogurt, chocolate milk (this seems to be a regular), and apples.

Symptoms: I pee a lot. Two nights ago, Shawn even made a comment about it because I went to the bathroom twice in a 20 minute span. My legs are more sore after I run or walk a good distance and I'm hungry, really hungry. Not sure if that counts as a symptoms, but I'm definitely experiencing extreme hunger! And last, but certainly not least, heartburn...way too much heartburn.

What I'm Thankful For: I'm so thankful for all the friends and family that helped us pack up and move our apartment into our new temporary home in our friends', the Detweiler's, basement. We are especially thankful for everyone that worked so hard to get the basement in move in ready shape. We've settled in and feel at home already. Thanks everyone!

Best Moment of the Week: As we drove away from our apartment on Monday it was a bittersweet moment and I made it all the way to the front of our friends' home before I started to cry. The apartment was our first home as husband and wife. Where we started our journey together. We have so many memories in that little apartment and it feels like the past 3 years have just flown by. However, I know that we have so many more good memories in store and I'm looking forward to our next big move at the beginning of October!  

Half Baked!

 

Along: 20 weeks!

Size: The baby is the size of a small cantaloupe and we found out today that he or she is weighing in at about 12 ounces, which is just a bit above average, and is roughly 6.5 inches from head to bottom. The baby is swallowing more these days, which is good practice for the digestive system and is starting to produce meconium. This will accumulate in the bowels and eventually pass during delivery or in his/her first diaper.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I weighed myself today at a friends house and I'm holding steady at about 5-6 pounds. I have a doctors appointment next week, so that will give my a true number.

Maternity Clothes: I haven't worn any yet, but I did have to bust out the hair tie trick while I was in Germany. My pants buttoned on their own, but it made a little extra room for all the food I was eating! 

Gender: I float back and forth, but most people seem to be calling Little Luda a boy. At our ultrasound today the baby's heartbeat was 156, so with that I'm going to stick with my instinct and say girl, but only time will tell!

Movement: I have felt so much more movement and even though Shawn wasn't the first to feel the Nugget, Ashley and Michelle had that honor while I was in Germany, I love that other people are started to get the experience as well! This little one is going to be so loved!

Sleep: We did a lot of walking last week while touring, so I was exhausted! I had several nights of a solid 8 hours of sleep, minus the pee breaks, which was greatly appreciated. Of course naps in the car were a must most days even with the good sleep! 

Cravings: Fruit and Ice cream! This week we ate a lot of meat and bread, which was delicious I might add, and all I wanted was strawberries and avocados! 

Symptoms: I had my first experience with swollen piggies! I feel asleep with my legs crossed on the airplane and when I woke up my toes on my right foot were huge (at least in my eyes). I was wearing my compression socks like a good mommy, so fortunately it just stayed around my toes. Hunger comes on fast, which is has been true of the entire pregnancy and I'm much more sleepy, but other than that I feel great! 

What I'm Thankful For: Old friendships that don't change! I've seen Ashley every couple of months here recently, but I haven't seen Michelle since she got married in November of 2011 and when we got together it was like nothing had changed. We laughed, reminisced, talked about life changes and just enjoyed being together with lifelong friends. I loved every minute of it!

Best Moment of the Week: Last week was amazing. I was able to spend time catching up with my two best friends from high school in picturesque GERMANY, so it's hard to pick a "best moment" from that perspective. However, when I got home last night Shawn felt our Nugget move in my tummy for the first time and seeing his face light up from that is something I will never forget!

Here are few highlights from our trip to Germany:

Our evening hot spot for dessert!

Flossenburg Castle Ruins

                                               

On top of Flossenburg Castle ruins

Cathedral in the courtyard of Prague Castle

Praha

Praha, Czech Republic: St. Charles Bridge

Loved Rothenburg, Germany!