Kelly and Champ December 2009

As you can tell by comparing the photo to the left and the last photo I posted at 19 weeks, there’s been quite a bit of growth lately! I intentionally wore the same shirt so you could see for sure how things look. Some shirts make me look bigger than others.

About a month ago (November 17th), Jonathan felt Champ move for the first time. Since then, this child has become an unstoppable source of movement! It’s delightful! My sister has also felt Champ move, but so far this child has been stubborn and shy around my Mom. The best was when my sister stayed over last week and she could SEE Champ moving! It’s incredible! I am thankful for every single little kick, punch, squirm or whatever it is.

What do we know about you this week, Champ? According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting, at week 26 “He or She now weighs a full two pounds and measures nine-plus inches. And this week, the eyes, which until now were developing under fused eyelids, start to open. Of course, there’s not much to see in there, but if your baby spots a bright light (or hears a loud noise) near your belly, you may notice an increase in fetal activity.” So far this child does not like loud noise, if lack of activity is any indication. I like to think that means we’ll have a nice, calm child who will not be a screamer. That’s what I’ll continue to think until this baby proves otherwise.

Other exciting things happening lately:

• We bought Champ a baby book and filled out the parts we could do already! It was so fun for Jonathan and me to sit down and write down the little milestones we’ve already experienced.
• We passed our glucose test! YAY! I wasn’t terribly concerned about gestational diabetes, but I am glad we don’t have to worry about it.
• We had our first baby shower! It was great to have most of the Eskesens and the friends from my parents’ neighborhood together while my sister was here. I really enjoy seeing our family. We got some wonderful things for little Champ and are beginning to feel a little more prepared for his or her arrival.
• Jonathan and Katherine painted Champ’s room this color. Thanks for all your hard work, Katherine! I think it will be perfect for either a boy or a girl.
• We selected and purchased bedding for Champ! You can see it here. It is called “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” and I believe even the name of the bedding is fitting for this child. We have a morning baby so far. What a great little alarm clock!

As you can tell by the excessive use of exclamation points, we are very excited to know that Champ is continuing to grow. Sometimes it seems that 40 weeks is forever and other times I am amazed at how quickly the time has gone by already. More than anything, each day we are thankful for this little miracle the Lord has placed in our lives.