Week 31

Go to the grocery store to track all the progress of our child; this week especially I challenge to pick up four navel oranges and carry them around. That is what Laurie is carrying in her tummy along with a couple pints of amniotic fluid. He's all folded up in there at 16 inches in length.

He's definitely generating more and more discomfort for Laurie; once in a while she'll just go "ahhh, hey! what are you doing buddy?" or she'll freeze and stand totally still in pain. He has taken quite a liking to standing on her right hip bone and kicking (clearly he likes it more than she does).

Nine weeks to go and it's feeling sooo close. Marshall and Christy are in town with their little guy Everett and he's an adorable, delightful little baby. It has made me realize that there is really really actually going to be a live human being alive among us forever and ever and we're responsible. I love it and am also a little bit haunted by the reality. God help this kid.

Week 30

Alright, it's photo week!!! Mommy has given the thumbs up for new photos. She looks amazing and her belly is really poppin'. There is 3 lbs. of human in there along with a bunch of other "stuff" that really adds up and has forced her to waddle. It's awesome; everywhere she goes she's like a really tall Penguin.

Laurie has been doing physical therapy over the last week and that has significantly helped her back pain (although I'm told that that does not mean I don't have to give her massages).

Week 29

The growth is getting rapid now as our baby is about the size of a butternut squash this week. I suppose I prefer that he comes out looking like Squash than a Chinese Cabbage, but secretly I am hoping for him to be a handsome boy just like dad. Over the last 27 years I have found arms and legs quite useful (For any mothers-in-law that might be reading this, that last part was sarcastic humor, and was intended to be a joke; I know I wasn't exactly what you had in mind for your daughter, but you're stuck with me and my deranged humor)

It's funny to look at photos of Laurie when she wasn't pregnant and compare them to photos of her at 20 weeks and then now. It feels gradual day to day but when you see the pictures it's as though she exploded. I love it. I think she looks marvelous. I would like to mention however that medical predictions of hormonal instability are accurate and should be more clearly labeled for husbands. Of course I did go to a tiny religious school that taught me that pregnancy is a magical gift from God and the whole process is simply magic (and easy); so I shouldn't be surprised by all the........well, surprises.

It is magical, indeed, and I am very excited for the little guy to hang out with us soon.