Friday, November 23, 2007
Six months -- wow- look at that belly!
For some reason the pictures of our 6 mo. old belly didn't upload correctly when I put them on last week, so I wanted to try again. Here ya go... :)
Monday, November 19, 2007
Baby Pics--- High Tech Ultrasound pics!
We wanted to share with everyone the pics from the high tech ultrasound we had last Friday...it was pretty amazing! The ultrasound tech said the measurements of the baby look great and suggested "bubba" for a girl or a boy. I suppose if it's a girl she wouldn't get picked on at recess with a name like Bubba. Brian and I want to assure you, it's at the bottom of our list of names!! :)
Check out our precious one...
This is the baby's face (don't worry- we couldn't tell what everything was either- he had to tell us! )
Here's the baby's head and body...
And a very large foot, which the tech deemed "big foot"-- this one is a little hard to see- the foot is the white part between the faint x's -- later he assured us that the baby's foot is normal size! He was a crack up!
It was lots of fun and amazing to begin to see our baby. We are in awe and so thankful that everything is going well!! The dr. has given me the all clear as far as restrictions, so we are back to normal life. Also, I don't have to take the progesterone anymore since my placenta has grown up towards the top of my uterus away from the opening of my cervix (which is why the bleeding stopped)-- very, very good news!
Check out our precious one...
This is the baby's face (don't worry- we couldn't tell what everything was either- he had to tell us! )
Here's the baby's head and body...
And a very large foot, which the tech deemed "big foot"-- this one is a little hard to see- the foot is the white part between the faint x's -- later he assured us that the baby's foot is normal size! He was a crack up!
It was lots of fun and amazing to begin to see our baby. We are in awe and so thankful that everything is going well!! The dr. has given me the all clear as far as restrictions, so we are back to normal life. Also, I don't have to take the progesterone anymore since my placenta has grown up towards the top of my uterus away from the opening of my cervix (which is why the bleeding stopped)-- very, very good news!
Friday, November 16, 2007
November in SoCal
It's been a while since we've updated our blog other than the apt. pics- since our last post many things have happened...
1.) I can now feel the baby several times a day- typically when I would like to be
sleeping!
2.) We have unpacked all of our boxes! A necessity, really, when you live in a studio
AND when your Mom is coming to visit! :)
3.) We had a great visit with my Mom over veteran's day weekend! More pics of that
visit to come ASAP.
4.) Brian left his personal training position at 24 hr. fitness due to the extreme
sales nature of the position that conflicted with his personal training
philosophy, and I was hired by the Pasadena Public Health Dept. to begin to
develop their new adolescent immunization program!!! Very exciting! :)
6.) And...we are celebrating with our good friend's the Harlan's- who now officially
own our house on 1199 Mineral! We closed yesterday and we are wishing them well
and so excited to see all of the changes they have and will make (the only
condition was they have to take us in when we visit Morgantown)! ;)
As you can see we have been busy! The end of the quarter is rapidly approaching and Brian is working diligently to complete his final papers as well as massive amounts of reading! He's such a good student!! :)
I am enjoying the last few days of "vacation" while I wait to start my job the week after Thanksgiving. I can't wait!!!! My position is a community services
rep position and I will be developing their new adolescent immunization
program for adolescents in Latino communities and developing ways/programs to encourage more non-white teens to pursue health professions. This fits very well w/my desire to work in the community with marginalized folks and I am very excited
about it! My boss is so great and really sensitive about the baby. We have spoken on the phone multiple times since I received the initial offer and she always asks how I am feeling and how things are going, which we both greatly appreciate!!! To read more about my position see the press release below...
"At the end of her keynote address, Diana M. Bonta, RN Ph.D,
Vice President, Public Affairs for Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region, and former Director of Health Services for the State of California, made a surprise announcement: Pasadena Immunization Coalition (PIzC) was being awarded a grant of $50,000 to support the planning phase of the Scholastic Partnership for Immunization Initiatives (SPIIn). The large mock-up of the $50,000 check is a hallmark of the partnership that Kaiser Permanente initiated to assist the Pasadena Public
Health Department’s PIzC launch- an outreach initiative among adolescents which promotes understanding about the immunizations that protect them at this stage in their lives. SPIIn is a project with a tri-fold focus: establishment of a youth-led immunization work group; peer-to-peer immunization promotion; and an introduction to public health careers for a new generation."
We also had our "high-tech" ultrasound today and the baby looks great! The ultrasound tech knows the sex of the baby, but we still prefer to be surprised! :) He said the placenta has grown upward, away from the opening of my cervix, which means a return to normal activity and the ability to have a natural childbirth. He took many pics and I will try and scan them tomorrow on Fuller's scanner, but until then....here are some 6 month belly shots to get you through (we will be 24 weeks Sunday)!! WOW!
1.) I can now feel the baby several times a day- typically when I would like to be
sleeping!
2.) We have unpacked all of our boxes! A necessity, really, when you live in a studio
AND when your Mom is coming to visit! :)
3.) We had a great visit with my Mom over veteran's day weekend! More pics of that
visit to come ASAP.
4.) Brian left his personal training position at 24 hr. fitness due to the extreme
sales nature of the position that conflicted with his personal training
philosophy, and I was hired by the Pasadena Public Health Dept. to begin to
develop their new adolescent immunization program!!! Very exciting! :)
6.) And...we are celebrating with our good friend's the Harlan's- who now officially
own our house on 1199 Mineral! We closed yesterday and we are wishing them well
and so excited to see all of the changes they have and will make (the only
condition was they have to take us in when we visit Morgantown)! ;)
As you can see we have been busy! The end of the quarter is rapidly approaching and Brian is working diligently to complete his final papers as well as massive amounts of reading! He's such a good student!! :)
I am enjoying the last few days of "vacation" while I wait to start my job the week after Thanksgiving. I can't wait!!!! My position is a community services
rep position and I will be developing their new adolescent immunization
program for adolescents in Latino communities and developing ways/programs to encourage more non-white teens to pursue health professions. This fits very well w/my desire to work in the community with marginalized folks and I am very excited
about it! My boss is so great and really sensitive about the baby. We have spoken on the phone multiple times since I received the initial offer and she always asks how I am feeling and how things are going, which we both greatly appreciate!!! To read more about my position see the press release below...
"At the end of her keynote address, Diana M. Bonta, RN Ph.D,
Vice President, Public Affairs for Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region, and former Director of Health Services for the State of California, made a surprise announcement: Pasadena Immunization Coalition (PIzC) was being awarded a grant of $50,000 to support the planning phase of the Scholastic Partnership for Immunization Initiatives (SPIIn). The large mock-up of the $50,000 check is a hallmark of the partnership that Kaiser Permanente initiated to assist the Pasadena Public
Health Department’s PIzC launch- an outreach initiative among adolescents which promotes understanding about the immunizations that protect them at this stage in their lives. SPIIn is a project with a tri-fold focus: establishment of a youth-led immunization work group; peer-to-peer immunization promotion; and an introduction to public health careers for a new generation."
We also had our "high-tech" ultrasound today and the baby looks great! The ultrasound tech knows the sex of the baby, but we still prefer to be surprised! :) He said the placenta has grown upward, away from the opening of my cervix, which means a return to normal activity and the ability to have a natural childbirth. He took many pics and I will try and scan them tomorrow on Fuller's scanner, but until then....here are some 6 month belly shots to get you through (we will be 24 weeks Sunday)!! WOW!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
"What does your apt. look like???!!!" or "We can't believe you fit all of that stuff in there!"
Yes, we did in fact fit most of our things into our apt- thanks mostly to the amazing wall to wall storage in the dressing nook, as well as creative use of shelves- many, many shelves!! :) Take a look...
This is our "dining room"- the first area you encounter when you walk through our front door- you can also see the "garage" to the side, where Brian keeps his bike.
Another view of the dining space- directly ahead of our dining space- you can see our lovely white heater (I want to name it b/c it's so big, but Brian won't let me). On the other side of our heater where we currently have our hamper is where the pack-n-play will go for the baby.
The rocker is just to the left of the dressing nook- you can see the shelves on the left- they make up the "wall" we designed to section off our bedroom space. :)
This is our living room space- just to the left of the kitchen.
More living room space...
To the left of the living room is Maggie's bed and the entrance into our bedroom.
Our bedroom...
Just look at all those beautiful shelves!!
This is Brian's masterpiece- it holds all of our books, games, our TV, filing box, our dressers are underneath, AND we still have baskets on shelves that are empty for baby supplies, etc. I watched in amazement at his spatial skills! :)
This is the entrance to the kitchen...notice all of our fun pics of friends and family!
We even have shelves in the kitchen- are you surprised??
This is our window over the kitchen counter and sink (a bit dark due to that CA sun shining in!)...
Our cabinets are white and we have about as much cabinet space as we did in Morgantown, actually.
Our fridge and stove...
And how could I almost forget...Maggie's favorite sunbathing spot- the nook!
Finally, through the nook...our bathroom- an important room for a pregnant lady who has to pee all the time... ;)
Well- there ya go- we hope you've enjoyed this tour of the Shope abode!
Peace...
This is our "dining room"- the first area you encounter when you walk through our front door- you can also see the "garage" to the side, where Brian keeps his bike.
Another view of the dining space- directly ahead of our dining space- you can see our lovely white heater (I want to name it b/c it's so big, but Brian won't let me). On the other side of our heater where we currently have our hamper is where the pack-n-play will go for the baby.
The rocker is just to the left of the dressing nook- you can see the shelves on the left- they make up the "wall" we designed to section off our bedroom space. :)
This is our living room space- just to the left of the kitchen.
More living room space...
To the left of the living room is Maggie's bed and the entrance into our bedroom.
Our bedroom...
Just look at all those beautiful shelves!!
This is Brian's masterpiece- it holds all of our books, games, our TV, filing box, our dressers are underneath, AND we still have baskets on shelves that are empty for baby supplies, etc. I watched in amazement at his spatial skills! :)
This is the entrance to the kitchen...notice all of our fun pics of friends and family!
We even have shelves in the kitchen- are you surprised??
This is our window over the kitchen counter and sink (a bit dark due to that CA sun shining in!)...
Our cabinets are white and we have about as much cabinet space as we did in Morgantown, actually.
Our fridge and stove...
And how could I almost forget...Maggie's favorite sunbathing spot- the nook!
Finally, through the nook...our bathroom- an important room for a pregnant lady who has to pee all the time... ;)
Well- there ya go- we hope you've enjoyed this tour of the Shope abode!
Peace...
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Playing in SoCal
Well--- most of you who saw the pics of the mess of a studio we moved into (as far as the amount of stuff we had to organize) probably believe we are spending every spare moment shoveling out! Thankfully, however, this is not the case, and we have become much more organized in our space!!! I promise to include some new apt. pics very soon!
But- we also wanted to show you some of the beauty of SoCal within which we have played as we rest and enjoy Sabbath on Saturdays (this is the day Brian has chosen to do no school work and we explore, nap, hang out with Maggie in new spots, etc.) So...here are some of the most recent adventures!
First, the Cobb Estate- we live in the foothills and can see the mountains pretty much all of the time- it's crazy! One of the first Saturdays we were here we drove to Altadena- just a few miles from our house to check out the Cobb Estate, which is an old hotel (now in ruins) where you can enjoy beautiful hiking overlooking Pasadena and LA. We are still adjusting to the colors here- greens and browns, tan and rust. I do miss the fall leaves quite a lot, but we love the warm temps and the fact that we are still wearing Chacos in late Oct.!!! Nice!
Yes, Maggie can drink from a CamelBack! A skill Brian will be teaching our baby as soon as possible as well! ;)
The pregnant lady can hike! ...just not too fast!
The smoggy city- we are very close to LA...even in the woods!
And then...our favorite place in the world-- East or West coast...the beach!
This is actually Ventura Beach- we were there one Sat. in the middle of Oct. with Brian's Dept. - students, faculty, and the Dean and his wife (who actually leads the wives group I attend, so it's fun that we are both connected to them). This beach is about an hour from us- what a change from Morgantown!! and is actually very similar to our East Coast beaches...
...a group of us spent time relaxing, enjoying the sand, playing soccer, eating fish and chips at the harbor nearby, and generally lounging. Some folks swam (I was not one of them- those of you who know how much I hate cold water are probably not surprised!).
It was a great day- now we have several more nearby beaches to explore- although I think we'll be avoiding Malibu for a while. Thankfully, the news here today looks like they have managed to contain several of the fires and are allowing residents that were evacuated back into their homes. The city of Pasadena has emphasized we are not in any danger (we are about an hour away from Malibu), but have restricted activities at local schools for outdoor sports due to the air quality. Today it is not too bad- yesterday we could see the ash in the air, and it has been very, very hot- in the 90s. We continue to pray for the displaced families and firefighters as well as a heavy, heavy rain.
But- we also wanted to show you some of the beauty of SoCal within which we have played as we rest and enjoy Sabbath on Saturdays (this is the day Brian has chosen to do no school work and we explore, nap, hang out with Maggie in new spots, etc.) So...here are some of the most recent adventures!
First, the Cobb Estate- we live in the foothills and can see the mountains pretty much all of the time- it's crazy! One of the first Saturdays we were here we drove to Altadena- just a few miles from our house to check out the Cobb Estate, which is an old hotel (now in ruins) where you can enjoy beautiful hiking overlooking Pasadena and LA. We are still adjusting to the colors here- greens and browns, tan and rust. I do miss the fall leaves quite a lot, but we love the warm temps and the fact that we are still wearing Chacos in late Oct.!!! Nice!
Yes, Maggie can drink from a CamelBack! A skill Brian will be teaching our baby as soon as possible as well! ;)
The pregnant lady can hike! ...just not too fast!
The smoggy city- we are very close to LA...even in the woods!
And then...our favorite place in the world-- East or West coast...the beach!
This is actually Ventura Beach- we were there one Sat. in the middle of Oct. with Brian's Dept. - students, faculty, and the Dean and his wife (who actually leads the wives group I attend, so it's fun that we are both connected to them). This beach is about an hour from us- what a change from Morgantown!! and is actually very similar to our East Coast beaches...
...a group of us spent time relaxing, enjoying the sand, playing soccer, eating fish and chips at the harbor nearby, and generally lounging. Some folks swam (I was not one of them- those of you who know how much I hate cold water are probably not surprised!).
It was a great day- now we have several more nearby beaches to explore- although I think we'll be avoiding Malibu for a while. Thankfully, the news here today looks like they have managed to contain several of the fires and are allowing residents that were evacuated back into their homes. The city of Pasadena has emphasized we are not in any danger (we are about an hour away from Malibu), but have restricted activities at local schools for outdoor sports due to the air quality. Today it is not too bad- yesterday we could see the ash in the air, and it has been very, very hot- in the 90s. We continue to pray for the displaced families and firefighters as well as a heavy, heavy rain.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Baby's first pic- 19 weeks!
Well, it's not actually the first picture, since this baby has had its picture taken almost every week with the weirdo bleeding. But, it's really the first picture where you can tell that we are having a baby! :) This is the one the dr.'s gave us and then one a little closer- sorry about the quality- scanning isn't always the best, but thought everyone might like to see the little one nonetheless!
Today was our big 19 wk. appt. and Dr. Morrison said everything is going very well! Yea! The baby is doing well and all the measurements are perfect- nice! Movement is good and we could see the heart beating, but not the sex, which is good since we want to be surprised.
The really, really good news is I haven't had any spotting at all since last Wed. and the dr. said if I make it to Monday with no bleeding then I can begin looking for a job. This made me very happy!!! He still wants me to watch my activity and such, but said things are looking really, really good. He isn't sure if the progesterone has stopped the bleeding or if time itself has really made a greater impact, but as long as we aren't having any more bleeding life can resume a bit more normally.
He still is watching my placenta- it is just a bit close to the opening of my cervix, but he feels pretty confident this will take care of itself as the pregnancy progresses and the uterus expands. So--- needless to say we are thrilled!! and so very thankful for all of your thoughts and prayers- please keep praying!!!!
We also talked about the kind of labor and delivery we want- surprisingly here in CA they don't have many practices with both dr's and midwives, which is what we had in Morgantown. Midwives here mainly do home births, which I am not comfortable with in our 566 sq. ft. apt. :) Maggie is so relieved!!
He seems very open to what we want- I can move around during labor as much as I like and we can really direct the way this goes as long as there aren't any life threatening complications for me or the baby, of course. So, all in all very good news- we are getting excited and it is beginning to settle in that we are in fact having a baby- who will be here in March (or Feb- I was 3 wks. early, but the left coast Shope's are notoriously late, so we're banking on this baby being late- perhaps just in time for Brian's birthday on March 17th) or maybe early like its mama- maybe March 2nd on Sarka's birthday! Who knows?
We apologize for the lack of activity here lately- our internet at the apt. is having problems and makes it difficult to post pics from a public computer. I will try and get some up of the apt. as we progress- it looks much different from the first pics posted here. Thank God! ;)
All in all we are very well- Brian is enjoying classes and started his personal training job this week. Very exciting! I have an interview for an HIV/AIDS education/advocacy/case management position with the Pasadena Health Dept. on the 23rd and am looking forward to applying for other positions as well.
We love to hear from you- pls. feel free to post a comment or let us know how you're doing!!
Much love...
Megan for the Shope's
Today was our big 19 wk. appt. and Dr. Morrison said everything is going very well! Yea! The baby is doing well and all the measurements are perfect- nice! Movement is good and we could see the heart beating, but not the sex, which is good since we want to be surprised.
The really, really good news is I haven't had any spotting at all since last Wed. and the dr. said if I make it to Monday with no bleeding then I can begin looking for a job. This made me very happy!!! He still wants me to watch my activity and such, but said things are looking really, really good. He isn't sure if the progesterone has stopped the bleeding or if time itself has really made a greater impact, but as long as we aren't having any more bleeding life can resume a bit more normally.
He still is watching my placenta- it is just a bit close to the opening of my cervix, but he feels pretty confident this will take care of itself as the pregnancy progresses and the uterus expands. So--- needless to say we are thrilled!! and so very thankful for all of your thoughts and prayers- please keep praying!!!!
We also talked about the kind of labor and delivery we want- surprisingly here in CA they don't have many practices with both dr's and midwives, which is what we had in Morgantown. Midwives here mainly do home births, which I am not comfortable with in our 566 sq. ft. apt. :) Maggie is so relieved!!
He seems very open to what we want- I can move around during labor as much as I like and we can really direct the way this goes as long as there aren't any life threatening complications for me or the baby, of course. So, all in all very good news- we are getting excited and it is beginning to settle in that we are in fact having a baby- who will be here in March (or Feb- I was 3 wks. early, but the left coast Shope's are notoriously late, so we're banking on this baby being late- perhaps just in time for Brian's birthday on March 17th) or maybe early like its mama- maybe March 2nd on Sarka's birthday! Who knows?
We apologize for the lack of activity here lately- our internet at the apt. is having problems and makes it difficult to post pics from a public computer. I will try and get some up of the apt. as we progress- it looks much different from the first pics posted here. Thank God! ;)
All in all we are very well- Brian is enjoying classes and started his personal training job this week. Very exciting! I have an interview for an HIV/AIDS education/advocacy/case management position with the Pasadena Health Dept. on the 23rd and am looking forward to applying for other positions as well.
We love to hear from you- pls. feel free to post a comment or let us know how you're doing!!
Much love...
Megan for the Shope's
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
And two weeks later...
We are much more organized, have taken advantage of the great nook storage, and can (almost) see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our kitchen is totally unpacked, our shelving unit has been constructed, and Maggie is still mad.
Brian's classes are going really well- he loves the material and is really engaged with his classmates and professors. I'm really proud of him! He works very hard to keep up with his reading, and I am actually also reading some of his books. :) Once a
student, always a student!
Our big news lately besides getting settled and into more of a routine is that I went to the doctor and the baby is doing well!! We had an ultrasound Sept. 26th (my Mom's birthday!) and the spotting that is continuing has not affected the health of the baby. He/She is comfy as ever and lookin' good. The dr. we're seeing here was recommended by another Fuller wife originally from PA who is due with her 3rd child any moment. Thanks, Heidi!!
Dr. Morrison is very efficient, but warm, and is concerned about the dark spotting that continues. They put me on the fetal monitor to determine if I was having any contractions that I couldn't feel, but I am not! The ultrasound showed my placenta may be a bit close to the opening of the cervix (low-lying placenta previa). So, at this point I am on light duty, not allowed to pursue looking for a job or seven sets of tennis, but not on bed rest. Yea!!! Additionally, when we were still in Morgantown any additional walking or movement/activity seemed to increase the bleeding and was incredibly frustrating. You should've seen me riding the motorized cart in Target shopping for Taryn and Todd's wedding gift the week before we moved. ;) Yet, at this point, I have been doing a bit more- walking to campus, going to the store, etc. and the bleeding has not increased. This is so helpful for my state of mind- it is really good to get outside and have a bit more freedom and control over my body.
Dr. Morrison also put me on progesterone to see if that would stop the bleeding and we will determine the next course of action at our next appt. on Oct. 16th, when I will (hopefully) be cleared for pursuing work and Brian and I will have another ultrasound pic to place on the frig.
The belly at this point is getting bigger!! Here are the much anticipated shots...
Compare these to the 8 wk. shot - whoa! Seventeen weeks is quite a change!
Eight weeks and the non-maternity capris...
Seventeen weeks and the maternity skirt...
The baby can now hear us and we are reading and playing music. Favorites are Dr. Seuss (with Daddy's voices) and Jack Johnson CDs. We also read recently in the pregnancy book that the baby can also hear Maggie barking at this point and this will help he/she sleep through such disturbances upon arrival. Wow- it's pretty crazy all that's going on!
We are both learning a lot and are more and more excited the further we get- the 1st trimester was pretty stressful with all of the bleeding and scares, but now we are relaxing a bit and falling in love with our child.
I have ups and downs each day- I expected to be working and it is difficult to not know if I will be able to do that at all until the baby comes. I had actually already applied for several jobs before we went to the dr. and am now getting calls about interviews and openings. It makes it hard to be here all day in the studio, so I am planning outings and trying to get things organized. It's funny, I thought I had already dealt with these issues of identity and value, patience, etc. while in Philly- I supposed I have much more to learn!! Some days I am fed up with things not going according to my plan and weep and yell, "enough already, Lord!!"
I am slowly meeting people- Brian is really good about introducing me to his classmates on campus and at functions. I am also going to the weekly wives club meeting. I jokingly call it that, but it's actually a really great support network of spouses who have already been down this road and those of us who are currently navigating this process of settling in and making friends. I am thankful for their support and encouragement!
Brian also just accepted a job as a personal trainer at 24 hr. fitness- a gym very close to our apt.! He went for the interview yesterday and they offered him the position on the spot (I was not at all surprised)! He accepted it this morning and is really working so very hard to provide for our family in the midst of some of these unexpected adjustments (me not working) as well as his first few weeks of seminary. I am so thankful for him and can't tell him enough how much I appreciate him!
Well that's probably more than enough ramblings for now...I think we are finally caught up with the pics- more will be on the way as we finish organizing the apt.
Peace and much love...
the shope clan
Brian's classes are going really well- he loves the material and is really engaged with his classmates and professors. I'm really proud of him! He works very hard to keep up with his reading, and I am actually also reading some of his books. :) Once a
student, always a student!
Our big news lately besides getting settled and into more of a routine is that I went to the doctor and the baby is doing well!! We had an ultrasound Sept. 26th (my Mom's birthday!) and the spotting that is continuing has not affected the health of the baby. He/She is comfy as ever and lookin' good. The dr. we're seeing here was recommended by another Fuller wife originally from PA who is due with her 3rd child any moment. Thanks, Heidi!!
Dr. Morrison is very efficient, but warm, and is concerned about the dark spotting that continues. They put me on the fetal monitor to determine if I was having any contractions that I couldn't feel, but I am not! The ultrasound showed my placenta may be a bit close to the opening of the cervix (low-lying placenta previa). So, at this point I am on light duty, not allowed to pursue looking for a job or seven sets of tennis, but not on bed rest. Yea!!! Additionally, when we were still in Morgantown any additional walking or movement/activity seemed to increase the bleeding and was incredibly frustrating. You should've seen me riding the motorized cart in Target shopping for Taryn and Todd's wedding gift the week before we moved. ;) Yet, at this point, I have been doing a bit more- walking to campus, going to the store, etc. and the bleeding has not increased. This is so helpful for my state of mind- it is really good to get outside and have a bit more freedom and control over my body.
Dr. Morrison also put me on progesterone to see if that would stop the bleeding and we will determine the next course of action at our next appt. on Oct. 16th, when I will (hopefully) be cleared for pursuing work and Brian and I will have another ultrasound pic to place on the frig.
The belly at this point is getting bigger!! Here are the much anticipated shots...
Compare these to the 8 wk. shot - whoa! Seventeen weeks is quite a change!
Eight weeks and the non-maternity capris...
Seventeen weeks and the maternity skirt...
The baby can now hear us and we are reading and playing music. Favorites are Dr. Seuss (with Daddy's voices) and Jack Johnson CDs. We also read recently in the pregnancy book that the baby can also hear Maggie barking at this point and this will help he/she sleep through such disturbances upon arrival. Wow- it's pretty crazy all that's going on!
We are both learning a lot and are more and more excited the further we get- the 1st trimester was pretty stressful with all of the bleeding and scares, but now we are relaxing a bit and falling in love with our child.
I have ups and downs each day- I expected to be working and it is difficult to not know if I will be able to do that at all until the baby comes. I had actually already applied for several jobs before we went to the dr. and am now getting calls about interviews and openings. It makes it hard to be here all day in the studio, so I am planning outings and trying to get things organized. It's funny, I thought I had already dealt with these issues of identity and value, patience, etc. while in Philly- I supposed I have much more to learn!! Some days I am fed up with things not going according to my plan and weep and yell, "enough already, Lord!!"
I am slowly meeting people- Brian is really good about introducing me to his classmates on campus and at functions. I am also going to the weekly wives club meeting. I jokingly call it that, but it's actually a really great support network of spouses who have already been down this road and those of us who are currently navigating this process of settling in and making friends. I am thankful for their support and encouragement!
Brian also just accepted a job as a personal trainer at 24 hr. fitness- a gym very close to our apt.! He went for the interview yesterday and they offered him the position on the spot (I was not at all surprised)! He accepted it this morning and is really working so very hard to provide for our family in the midst of some of these unexpected adjustments (me not working) as well as his first few weeks of seminary. I am so thankful for him and can't tell him enough how much I appreciate him!
Well that's probably more than enough ramblings for now...I think we are finally caught up with the pics- more will be on the way as we finish organizing the apt.
Peace and much love...
the shope clan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
