10 Weeks to Go!

At 30 weeks, there's no mistaking I'm preggo!! Strangers are starting to offer to help me out and ask about when the baby's due. So far, I haven't really had any strangers try to touch my belly, but I definitely haven't minded when my friends & family do it!! I figure I should enjoy this happy phase before I get too uncomfortable and cranky later on this summer! :o)

30 weeks!

Baby Charlotte has been extremely active lately - kicking, swirling, jabbing, and ...tugging?? It's hard to identify all of the different tricks she's doing in there, but they're pretty amazing. I've even felt her with a case of the hiccups a couple of times! I can tell already that she's going to be feisty - takes one to know one, I suppose! :o) 

She's about the size of a large head of cabbage - 3 lbs and 15 inches long, roughly. Growing, growing, growing! I still feel really good, too! No real cravings lately, just hungry all the time! I am feeling some aches and pains in my hips and pelvis, as well as some acid reflux that flares about once every day for an hour or so (or increments that add up to an hour). I think I'm also starting to feel some Braxton-Hicks contractions. Since this is all new to me, I can't be sure. But my whole belly will tighten up for several minutes at a time. It doesn't hurt at all, just feels hard. I see the doctor next week, so I'll ask her then if that's what's really going on. 

Last week, the wonderful people I work with threw me and my friend Anna (who is expecting a baby boy about 6 weeks after I'm due) a joint shower! 

We had so much fun chatting with our friends, opening presents, and of course, eating cake!! :o) 

It was really nice to relax and put all of our end-of-the-year stress aside and just hang out together!

Ben and I went up to Illinois this weekend and I had a baby shower with my family and friends from home, too! I'm so blessed to know such wonderful ladies from all of the different areas of my life! I got to catch up with grandmas, aunts, cousins, friends from college and high school, and family friends. My sister even flew in from Houston! I didn't get a whole lot of pictures, so if you have one to share, please do! Ben's cousin Jenn made the cutest owl cake with cupcakes and owl cake pops on the side! They were the hit of the day! 

  

My oldest friend and next-door neighbor as a child came to help me celebrate! I can't believe it's been 12 years since I was helping her welcome her little boy! 

My sincerest thanks to all of you who have helped me prepare for our sweet baby's arrival! I can't wait until we get up to IL the first week of July so I can really start nesting and get everything all set up! In the meantime, here are some previews... 

  

More to come! Take care!