20 weeks - The half way point!!

Believe it or not I have officially reached the half way point of this pregnancy! In some ways, it has gone by very fast feeling like I've just adjusted to the thought of it. In others, it feels like forever and a year ago that we found out and began telling everyone. The former is encouraging for the next 20 weeks that are ahead of me and the thought that maybe they'll go quickly. The later is encouraging too as I still feel like we have so much to do to prepare for the arrival of our little man!! I am starting to really enjoy being pregnant. My belly is starting to round and it is 100% obvious that I've got a little bundle in there! I have been so blessed to have such an easy pregnancy. And feeling the baby move definitely makes pregnancy fun and rewarding. As I'm typing I can feel Hudson moving like crazy . . . right above my bladder! He's been resting on it ever since I woke up this morning, making his mommy take frequent trips to the bathroom today. Never the less I would much rather feel him move, even if its on my bladder, than not so no complaints here. Bentley barked loudly when Matthew came home and started playing with him today and Hudson jumped in response, which was very fun. Just a few more weeks and he'll be big enough for others to feel him move. I can't wait for Matthew to feel our little man moving around inside of me!!

Speaking of the little man, he's the length of a banana today! Just for your information, they change the way the measure babies this week. It's been crown to rump thus far (hence the 6.7 measurement from the doc) and from now on will be crown to heel since the babies are stretched out now. They told us Monday that he's at 53% on the growth chart which means at this stage 47% of babies are bigger than him and 52% are smaller. I'm telling you this because on babycenter.com today it said your baby is about 10.5 ounces. So, we're just a little ahead of that but the banana reference is towards the length and not weight. I feel this is kind of random and possibly not anything you want to know. I guess I'm just typing thoughts here as I've told myself, "ok, when you look at the produce your baby is each week, just know we're just a little ahead of the game".

OOOKKKKK how cool is this. I've got the laptop on the coffee table so I'm bending over a little to type and its making Hudson move like crazy. Since the kicks and turns are so strong right now I decided to see if Matthew could feel it. I pressed his hand on my belly right where he was kicking and then all the sudden Matthew goes, I felt it!! So just to test I said, what did it feel like and he said a little thud which is exactly right!!! AGH! I mean, he's definitely not really feeling anything very hard, just a little thud and it will get stronger later but so cool he can feel a little bit right now! It's only every once in a while that he kicks that strong anyhow. I know he couldn't feel the regular movements right now, but someday soon!!

Well, I've spoiled y'all with two posts in one week and look forward to doing it more. Take care my friends!

It's a . . . It's a . . . It's a . . .

BOY!!! We are soooo excited!!! So, so, so excited!! Everything looked great, bones are healthy, brain looks great and is the size it is supposed to be, same with the heart. All his organs are the right size and functioning properly. The eyes, ears, nose and mouth look great, no cleft lip. Hands and feet look great as well. He's 13 ounces which puts us on track to have a 7 pound 7-9 ounce baby boy! It is so wonderful to know it is a boy and that he is completely healthy so far!!

This is a nice profile shot of him:

Here is a precious little foot!


And here is the proof! It's like he's sitting on a glass bottom floor and we're looking up. His little bottom is on the left, then his legs are sticking straight out, then his little boy part is in the middle!
Beautiful!!! Like I said, he's 13 ounces and about 6.7 inches. He's doing great and I am soooo relieved to hear it! His name will be Hudson Lloyd Johns. Hudson we both just loved the name, Lloyd is Matthew's grandfather's first name. I can't wait to hold the little guy for the first time!!!!!!

I have to say I am sorry it has been literally one month since I posted. I didn't know how many of you were so faithful to check the page until I wasn't updating it. That definitely motivates me to write more now. I really do have intentions of being better at it from now on, I promise. For now though, let me catch y'all up.

I have been great! Feeling wonderful and not anything like I was up to the 13 week mark. I have been sooo hot, which I have always been cold natured so I'm definitely not used to this. It has been a really tough adjustment. I have to say its pretty annoying. And to top it all off, it looks like we are in for a pretty hot summer. Already hitting the 100s yesterday and today. I just pray I can make it through!!

The baby slowed down in growing there for a little while but is back on a growth spurt. Which means the heartburn has the potential to return, and it has a couple of times. Not as bad as before but I've still had some pretty rough moments. We've been enjoying the fact that the baby can hear now and talk to him all the time (so cool that I can say him now instead of it!!). Matthew's so cute when he lays his head on my belly and talks. I feel the baby move all the time. I usually feel him (on the outside) on my sides and down low (and of course on the inside) and I found out why today. The placenta is on the front of my uterus. Which is ok, it doesn't mean any danger or anything (it's supposed to be on the back side) it just means that there's an extra layer between the baby and the outside. Which makes it a little harder to feel in that spot. I have felt movement there but its always a poke or kick. So if the placenta wasn't there, those pokes and kicks would be a lot harder!! But I feel all different kinds of movement. I eat a lot of fruit and the baby always moves when I do. He was moving like crazy during the sono! She was like, my goodness, what did you eat?! I drank orange juice while in the waiting room to make sure those legs were open, hehehe!!! And they were!

We are just really excited. Matthew was telling me the other day how excited he is that we are starting our own family and how its going to be the 3 of us now. It's so surreal. I mean, now its the three of us, not just me and him. We have someone to take care of and now WE are mom and dad. Now we have our own traditions to start, own family memories to make, family vacations, etc. It's unbelievable, crazy, cool and overwhelming. I love that I am doing it with Matthew though. He is such a great husband and I am so excited that he is going to have a little boy to be his buddy. Matthew and his dad are best friends and I am just grateful that the Lord gave us a boy so Matthew can form that same relationship with Hudson. He's going to be an amazing father . . . and I am so grateful I get to stand by his side as he transforms into this new role.

Ok, I promise to write soon!!!!