18 Weeks....

18 WEEKS

Here is a picture of my baby bump at 18 weeks! It's starting to look more like baby belly now....(not as much like I've just been eating too many donuts)...which is good. I have now transitioned mostly from using my belly band over my pre-pregnancy jeans and am using my maternity jeans now. They just feel more comfortable now that my belly is getting bigger.

 I am feeling much more energized now and am definitely getting into "nesting" mode! We started renovations on our second living room this last week, to turn it into the nursery. This had been our plan when buying the house, knowing that room would be perfect to turn into a bedroom someday. I will post before and after pics when the work is completed next week!

We find out the gender on Tuesday (February 21st)! We are so excited to finally know whether Baby H is a girl or boy. Then, I will get to plan more details of the nursery...like color scheme, etc. I can't believe that I am almost halfway through my pregnancy. It really has been flying by!

Here's some of the gifts that Baby H has already collected! He/she is one blessed and loved baby :-)

Ryan's great Aunt Bett knitted the booties... both blue and pink since we don't know the gender yet! Baby also received his/her first OSU t-shirt from KiKi B (Ryan's aunt)....and just the other day also received an orange Eskimo Joe's t-shirt from Ryan's cousin Sara and her husband Matt! I think Ryan is feeling motivated to get the baby some SMU t-shirts now, lol. Baby received all the other goodies from both grandparents and great grandparents!

Since I plan to try to have a natural birth....(that's right folks, no epidural)....I have really been trying to prepare myself physically, mentally, and spiritually. Some of you might be wondering if I am crazy to go natural....ha ha....maybe so! My sweet sister-in-law, Christine, sent me a great book called "Christ Centered Childbirth". It is a wonderful book that teaches strategies on focusing your mind, relaxing the body, and setting your thoughts on Christ during labor and delivery. I think it will be a huge help when the time comes. I am definitely trying to keep an open mind, knowing that although my goal is natural birth, if an epidural ends up being used for whatever reason...that is okay too. Ultimately it's in God's hands, whom I can trust completely.

I love to think about Psalm 139:13-16: "For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." What a wonderful miracle that God is forming this baby inside me. He chose whether it would be a boy or girl. He decided eye color, hair color, personality, talents and abilities. (And the list goes on.) He knew every little detail and characteristic of our child before it was even conceived. I feel honored and blessed that God has entrusted Ryan and I with the privilege of raising this little one. I realize it is through no power or strength of my own that I can be a good parent, but only through surrendering and letting the Lord guide and teach me a long the way. We are called to show Jesus to our little one. What a wonderful, yet challenging calling! :-)