Happy Birthday Abby!

We're thrilled to announce the arrival of Abigail Jean Fisher at 5:48 Sunday morning, August 26. Abby weighed 7 pounds and 9 ounces and is having a happy and healthy birthday. More to come...

Week 40

We were really hoping to not have to do this update...

It's been an exciting week at the Fisher household as we've waited anxiously and impatiently for our little girl to arrive. Some very regular (although mild) contractions started Sunday night, but after speaking with a midwife at the hospital, we decided to stay home and sleep through the night, assured that if it was really labor, Christina would wake up. We slept soundly through the night however, and headed in to the doctor's office to get checked out when the contractions picked up slightly after Christina got up Monday morning. Alas, we were sent home, but told that we were in what is known as early labor. (Early labor, we now know, can last anywhere from hours to weeks.) Excited that Christina's body seemed to be on track to push out little Abby soon, we headed home to wait.

And wait we have. All week long.

Justin, the voice of reason, is encouraging with his reminders that Abby will come when she's ready, that God is in control, and that Christina will not miss it when she goes into labor. Christina remains in a foul mood, a result of having her hopes dashed each morning when she wakes up to find she has not gone into labor overnight, and of this sweltering Atlanta heat.

We're off to another check up this afternoon and are hoping to find that Christina's body is continuing to progress toward real labor. A week of contractions with no results is quite frustrating indeed.

Please pray for patience for the two of us as we continue to wait on Abby to arrive. Pray that Christina will find ways to occupy her mind and not go crazy sitting around hoping to go into labor. And thank you for continuing to pray for a healthy baby and a healthy delivery (when the time comes...)

Still waiting,
Justin, Christina & Abby :)

Still waitin...

As of 5 p.m. on her due date, there are still no signs of Abby. We continue to wait impatiently and appreciate your prayers that she'll be joining us soon.

Week 39

It's just a matter of time now until Abby makes her big debut! With all her major development completed, she's just packing on fat now until she's born. She's probably reached what will be close to her final birth weight and length and really doesn't have any big milestones left until her birthday!

Meanwhile, we're anxiously waiting for the day when we'll be able to climb into the car and head to the hospital. The Braxton Hicks contractions are getting more intense as they prepare Christina's body for the real thing, just like the doctor said they would, and will continue to do so until Christina goes into real labor. Sleeping is getting more and more difficult for both mom and dad as Christina's increased weight and girth make it harder for her to get settled into a comfortable position at night. (And the frequent trips to the bathroom certainly aren't conducive to a good night's rest, either. She did set a new record this week, though: 11 pit stops in 10 hours!)

All signs were good at our most recent doctor's appointment--praise God for nine months of good reports! Christina's body is showing signs of progressing towards labor, so it's just a matter of time until we get to meet our little girl. We'll return to the doctor this afternoon for another weekly appointment. It's hard to believe in just a short time we won't have to wait a week at a time to hear a little heartbeat--we'll actually be able to hear Abby cry, coo and make all the little noises that babies are famous for!

Thanks to everyone who has been following our progress and praying for a healthy pregnancy. Christina has to remind herself that even though these last few weeks have certainly been the hardest, this pregnancy has, overall, been a very pleasant experience. We are so blessed to be able to be a part of the miracle of God's creation and look forward to raising our daughter up to know and love and be in awe of His great works--of which she is certainly one! Please pray for the doctors, nurses and midwives who will attend Abby's delivery and for patience for us as we continue to wait on Abby.

Still waiting,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 38

Abby and her mom are still packing on pounds as we near the end of this pregnancy. Christina's netting a total gain of 24 pounds now, and Abby probably makes up about 6.5 to 7.5 pounds of that and could be about 20 inches long by now. Of course we won't know for sure until she comes out, but Christina assures everyone that she certainly feels that big! Abby's major organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb at this point, and she's probably busy exercising her firm grip and practicing sucking her thumb in the womb while she's waiting to be born. She also spends a considerable amount of time simply rolling around and trying--though often unsuccessfully--to stretch out. Christina now understands what moms-to-be mean when they say they feel like they're about to pop!

Our bag is packed for the hospital and now we're just playing the waiting game and counting down the days until Abby gets here. The false contractions that are preparing Christina's body for the real thing continue to get stronger--a very good sign, but an uncomfortable one at times. Sleep seems to be eluding the mom-to-be for now, as frequent trips to the bathroom and the basic discomfort of carrying a 24-pound bowling ball on the front of her body do a good job of waking her up at night. Justin continues to try to tell our little girl how great life will be after she's born (benefits include, but are not limited to: being able to stretch out all the way, breathing, and finally getting to wear all these cute pink outfits everyone's bought for her). But Abby's taking her time, and so we continue to wait...

Please pray for a restful remainder of the pregnancy for both Justin and Christina and that we would find ways to enjoy our time with each other while it's still just the two of us. And continue to pray that our little Abigail Jean would make her grand entrance soon!

Still waiting, quite impatiently,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 37

Forty inches around and weighing in at 22 pounds heavier than she was 37 weeks ago, Christina is officially tired of waitin' on Abby. Even though our due date is still three weeks away, Abby is considered full term now! She probably weighs about 6 pounds and is around 19-20 inches long, head to heel, at this point. Unless she's going to be a baldy when she's born, she's probably sporting a full head of hair by now. Her movements are slowing as she's run out of room inside her mom, but she still finds ways to turn over and stretch a little foot out of Christina's right side on occasion. Abby's powerful hiccups are still a daily occurrence, and as big as she is now, they do a number on Christina's bladder!

We'll see the doctor weekly from here on out, and all reports from this week's visit came back positive. Abby remains in her head-down position, but doesn't seem to have "dropped" much yet--she'll descend lower into Christina's pelvis as she gets closer to time for delivery. The false contractions that serve as a precursor to the real thing are getting more powerful, a good sign that Christina's body is doing what it should as it prepares for labor and delivery.

The parents-to-be, meanwhile are getting ever more anxious waiting for our little girl to arrive! We can hardly remember what it felt like to be 30 weeks away from delivery--the suspense of 3 weeks is driving us crazy! We talk to Abby daily, and have recently taken to telling her more about how great life outside the womb is, hoping to coax her out with promises of cute pink onesies and breathing real air.

Please pray with us that Abby and Christina would enjoy a safe and healthy delivery when the time comes, and for wisdom for the doctors, nurses and midwives as they coach Justin and Christina through this big event! (And if you want to pray that Abby would arrive in time to prevent a Week 38 update, that would be okay too!)

Just killing time 'til the time comes,
Justin, Christina & Abby :)

Week 36

Abby's packing on the weight as we count down to delivery, at the rate of about an ounce a day. She probably weighs about 6 pounds at this point and is about 19 inches long. The downy skin covering that's protected her while she's floated around in the amniotic fluid for nine months is beginning to shed, and most of it should be gone by the time she's born. She's still in a head down position, so everything seems to be a go for a normal delivery. Now we're just...waitin' on Abby!

Christina, meanwhile, is starting to feel more and more like a boat everyday. On top of the anticipation of wanting to meet her little girl, she's simply ready to not be pregnant anymore. Her appetite continues to increase, but as Abby's growth makes space in her stomach and bladder more and more limited, Christina's finding it necessary to make frequent snack stops in the kitchen. It's true...her eyes really are bigger than her stomach!

The Braxton Hicks (the false contractions that pave the way for the real thing) are getting more intense, which is to be expected at this point in the pregnancy. It often feels as if Abby's trying to crawl out of the front of Christina's belly with all the pressure!

The nesting instinct has kicked in and Christina has spent a considerable amount of time sorting and resorting Abby's clothes by size into individual boxes. Next she plans to take them all out of the boxes and wash them in preparation for Abby's arrival. (We realize this makes little sense--why not wash and then sort?, you may ask. Don't question the pregnant lady, we would answer.)

We completed our birthing class last night, and as Childbirth Preparation 101 graduates, we realize still have no idea what we're getting in to. We've read the books, we've watched the videos, we've talked to parents who have been there, but until the rubber meets the road and we bring our little girl home, they're all just theories. What we know for certain is that this is God's plan for our family, and we are the parents He picked for this little girl. What a tremendous compliment! Please pray for us as we get closer to the reality of parenthood, that we would look to God for the strength and patience and guidance we know we'll need and that we would care for this little girl as one of His own.

Counting down the days,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 35

Abby's rapidly running out of room in there, measuring in at about 18 inches long and weighing about 5 pounds at this point. She still kicks quite regularly, but her other activities seem to be spatially limited to simply rolling her back to one side or the other. Her hiccups are still a daily occurrence, and because she's getting so big it's getting even easier to discern her sleep/wake patterns. (When she's awake, she's VERY active!) The doctor on Friday confirmed that she's still in a head down position, and Justin was able to feel where and how big her head is in comparison to her little butt--she seems like a pretty looooong baby at this point. Most of her physical development is complete, and now Abby just has to spend the next few weeks packing on some weight for life outside the womb.

Her parents, meanwhile, are getting more and more antsy as time ticks slowly by. Five weeks doesn't ordinarily seem like a long time, but this is like waiting for Christmas and your birthday and your wedding day all rolled in to one and multiplied about a million times. The novelty of pregnancy has worn off and Christina is ready for Abby's birthday to arrive soon! Her head down position is good news for Abby's delivery, but by the end of the day each day it means a lot of increased pressure on Christina's pelvis, forcing what we'll kindly refer to as a slow duck walk as she tries to get around.

Abby seems to be getting more and more responsive to sound and touch, and Justin is enjoying seeing and feeling her move in response to his voice and his hand on Christina's belly. Theory has it that when she's born, Abby will more readily recognize her dad's voice because it will sound similar to what she's been hearing in the womb, whereas so far she's only able to hear her mom's voice internally.

Our birthing classes are going well...we leave each week almost sound asleep after spending the final few minutes of each session practicing relaxation techniques for handling labor and delivery. Next week we'll take a tour of the labor and delivery area of the hospital and learn exactly what to do and were we'll go when Christina goes in to labor.

Please continue to pray for health and patience for mom and baby, and for wisdom for dad as he prepares for the responsibility of caring for not one, but two Fisher women now! Earlier this summer, a stranger at a restaurant in Destin offered us the following toast: "May your baby come a week before her due date." If you'd like to pray for that as well, neither of us would complain!

Wondering when,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 34

Abby's probably weighing in at about 4 1/2 pounds this week and could be almost 18 inches long at this point! Christina's gaining as well, measuring in at almost 39 inches around this week. Abby's fat layers are rounding her out and her skin is smoother than ever. Her central nervous system and her lungs continue to mature in preparation for life outside the womb. She's still quite active, and her almost constant movements are making it really easy to feel how big she's getting in there. Abby still comes down with a case of hiccups almost daily, and lately they've been more and more volatile--probably because there's so much more of her to shake around in Christina's belly when she's hiccuping.

The fatigue of the first trimester has returned, as all the books said it would. Christina's back to her habit of napping each day after work, which seems to help a lot, but growing a baby is hard work! All the extra weight she's carrying around is seriously affecting Christina's balance and mobility as well. The spring in her step is gone, and slow and steady seems to be the best way to get around now. Abby's riding pretty low in the belly and putting a lot of pressure on Christina's pelvis, but the good side of that is that there's plenty of room up top for her lungs to expand, so the common pregnancy complaint of shortness of breath hasn't been a problem so far.

Abby's having an exciting week with the grandparents. She spent her Sunday afternoon helping mom and dad shoot BB guns with Justin's dad, and this weekend we're taking Abby to her first baseball game with Christina's parents. (Peanuts and cracker jacks, here we come!)

Please continue to pray for us and Abby's extended family as we wait for her to arrive. We know there are so many people who already love her so much and can't wait to meet her! Please pray that God would prepare us to shower her not only with our love, but to teach her about His perfect love as well. Pray also for wisdom and attentiveness as we attend our childbirth classes and prepare for the labor and delivery. Only six weeks to go!

Thinkin' pink,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 33

It's getting awfully cramped in there! The doctor on Friday told us Abby probably weighs about 4 pounds now. Her little 17-inch long body is still head down, but was curled up with her spine on the left and her appendages kicking and punching the right side of Christina's body. As she gets even bigger, she'll start running out of room to change position so frequently, but for now she still finds ways to roll around quite often! Her skeleton is hardening and her much firmer heels and knees are putting a lot of pressure on Christina's skin and lungs as she works on stretching them out. The bones in her skull are hardening as well, but won't fuse together until early adulthood. This will allow them to move and slightly overlap to fit better through the birth canal when she's born, and to grow and expand as her brain and other tissue expands as she gets older.

Since last week's assertion of how we knew time would fly in these last few weeks, we've come to realize how untrue that statement really is. Time, instead, has slowed to a crawl in the Fisher household and it seems as if Abby can't come soon enough. Everything at the doctor's visit checked out great, and we're told Christina's right on track for a delivery in the last week in August. What she would have liked to have heard was that it looks like Abby might come a few weeks early, but it seems our little girl is taking her time. Christina complained of some ligament pain at the doctor's office and was reminded that there's a baby sitting on top of those ligaments and that it's time for them to start stretching in preparation for delivery. Par for the course, it seems. So her ordinarily unhindered style of walking is slowly evolving into a third trimester pregnancy waddle, and flat shoes seem to be the safest mode of travel at this point.

She was warned it would happen, but Christina didn't actually believe she would outgrow the maternity pants she bought in the first trimester. There's no use fighting it. So this week, we were back in the maternity section at Old Navy, purchasing the same pair of adorable stretchy waistbanded capri pants--only this time, one size bigger.

Please pray that Christina would be able to get some rest during these last few weeks (we hear those opportunities become even more scarce once the baby actually arrives!). Abby's doing a good job of consistently waking her mom up at the wee hours for morning calisthenics, and the abridged night's sleep every night is starting to take its toll. Pray also for Justin as he gets ready to welcome another female into his family. Pray that God would prepare him for how to love and discipline this little girl as she grows, but most importantly, how to model Christ's love for her and point her to Him as he does so.

Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement throughout this pregnancy...we can't wait for you to meet our little girl!

Counting down the days,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 32

By now, Abby weighs almost four pounds and is probably about 17 inches long. Of the pound a week that Christina is gaining, about half goes directly to Abby, which means she could double in weight between now and the time she's born! She now has fully formed toenails, fingernails and real hair on her head (or at least some peach fuzz) and her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she fattens up in preparation for life outside the womb. She's getting more and more cramped as she continues her third trimester growth spurt, but she's still fairly active--make that very active--with her kicks and punches. And somehow, she's still finding room to roll around and stretch out in there!

While there's a lot of gaining going on in the Fisher household (Christina's packed on 20 pounds and nine inches since the start of this pregnancy!) we've taken a loss in a few areas as well. Among the things that have disappeared from Christina's life over the last 8 months:

• her waistline
• her ability to rise from a sitting position gracefully
  
• her ability to tie her own shoes

It's certainly getting to be an adventure as we adjust to all the changes, but the excitement continues to build as we're only 8 weeks away from meeting our little girl! We'll start childbirth classes in a week or so, where apparently they'll teach us how to huff and puff our way through labor and delivery, among other things.

We've said it time and time again, but it really is phenomenal how quickly time is passing with this pregnancy. This year has flown by so far, and we're trying to treasure every moment with each other before the two of us become the three of us! We're so excited to meet this daughter that God has chosen to bring into our lives, and look forward to her finally getting to experience all the love and support that we've been feeling from family and friends throughout this pregnancy. Please pray that we would stay organized in making all the final preparations for Abby's arrival and that we would continue to seek God and His strength as we prepare to welcome her into our family.

Waiting anxiously,
Justin, Christina & Abby :)

Week 31

Wow! Abby's measuring at about 16 inches long right now (head to toe) and weighs a little over three pounds. She's getting geared up for a major growth spurt! Her weight should more than double in the next 9 weeks before she's born. She's able to turn her head from side to side and her arms, legs and body are starting to plump out as more fat accumulates under her skin. Abby's moving a lot more, and a lot more frequently every day now--a reminder that she's active and healthy. Her kicks, punches and somersaults sometimes seem like they never end, and she comes down with a case of hiccups at least once a day now.

We've got a feisty little girl on our hands! She's very particular about any pressure that is placed on Christina's abdomen, usually responding with a kick or rolling away when anyone tries to press in and feel her. She's especially finicky about elbows, and can be counted on to kick back--and hard--if one is rested on Christina's belly. Her awake-when-we're asleep/sleeping-when-we're-awake cycle has changed dramatically in the last week or so. Now she just seems to be awake and active all the time!

Abby continues to primarily make her home on Christina's right side, and seems at times to be trying to scoot up into Christina's right lung. Our little girl is definitely getting cramped in there, and all that stretching and moving around she does helps us get a pretty good idea of just how little space there is for her in Christina's middle. Her little legs seem to be going straight up most of the time, and her kicks are pretty easy to see and feel just below Christina's sternum.

Please continue to pray that all this activity will continue--it's a great reminder that Abby's doing well and growing stronger every day. We can't believe how time has flown, and we know these last 9 weeks will pass in the blink of an eye! Thanks for praying with us for Christina's health and Abby's development--we couldn't do this without you and your prayers!

Waiting anxiously,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 30

Abby's growing like crazy as we enter into the last 10 weeks of the pregnancy! She's more than 15 1/2 inches long now and weighs almost 3 pounds. It's hard to believe her weight will more than double in the next two and a half months as she puts on more fat and prepares for life outside the womb! Her eyesight, though not sharp yet, is continuing to develop, and she should be able to distinguish light from outside Christina's belly. Her sight will continue to develop after she's born, though she'll start with about 20/400 vision, meaning she can only distinguish objects that are very close to her face.

On Sunday, the girls from Christina's Bible study threw her a fabulous baby shower. (That's mom-to-be with all the lovely hostesses pictured above.) Christina had a blast watching her church friends guess how many squares of toilet paper it would take to wrap around her pregnant belly (nine, at this point), and has enjoyed reading through all the words of wisdom the guests left her with and sorting through all of the adorable little outfits they got for Abby!

At Christina's doctor's appointment this morning we learned that Abby is head down at this point, and should stay that way for the remainder of the pregnancy. She is, as we suspected, mostly hanging out on the right side of Christina's body--her spine can be felt along the right of Christina's belly and her little rump is planted firmly under Christina's right lung. This means most of her kicks can be felt on the left side, and that's where we've been able to feel little feet and knees the most. The doctor also told us that everything still looks great for both mom and baby. Praise God for these ongoing good reports!

Christina found out this week that what feels like Abby stretching out her living quarters is actually probably Braxton Hicks contractions--her uterus, in essence, is practicing for the real thing by flexing its muscles in preparation for labor. Thankfully, these infrequent practice contractions have been painless up to this point, though they certainly are uncomfortable and bizarre!

We are growing more excited by the day about the arrival of the newest Fisher, and have loved getting to know her by talking to her and feeling her little movements inside the womb. This pregnancy has truly been a blessing from the start, and we couldn't be happier about how smoothly everything has gone. We know that God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives, and the life of our new little baby, and it has been a privilege to get to pray for her as we wait for her to get here! Thank you to all of you who have been praying for our daughter and our family during this miraculous time in our lives. God is certainly listening and answering, and we are in awe of the blessings that have been showered on us throughout this pregnancy. Thanks for coming alongside us and being part of Abby's prayer team!

By grace alone,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 29

Abby's grown to about 2 1/2 pounds this week and is over 15 inches long, head to heel. Her muscles and her lungs continue to mature and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. Sometime around this week, her brain will begin to develop its characteristic grooves--it's been smooth up to this point. As we've entered the third trimester, her bones are starting to harden, so calcium aplenty is a must for mom's diet.

Our little girl has gotten so much more active in just the last week! We've learned she likes her space--her strong kicks and punches let us know when she doesn't like people pressing in on Christina's belly or when a meal Christina's just eaten is expanding her stomach into Abby's territory. She's also doing things her way and on her timetable right now. She's consistently awake when Christina's resting and unresponsive when we're trying to show someone how active she (usually) is.

Christina has really begun to "pop" in the past few days, boasting an inch in gain since this time last week. As Abby grows, the available space in Christina's midsection is shrinking and she's finding it harder to eat large portions and is instead eating small portions much more often. We've found that Abby favors settling in on Christina's right side, making her pregnant belly a little lopsided. Trying to move her over usually only results in increasing the pressure on Christina's bladder, so we've decided to let our little girl hang out where she is.

After a restful week at the beach, we're ready to get back into the swing of things and countdown to the end of the summer and the arrival of our baby girl. Please pray that these last 11 weeks would go as smoothly as the first 29, that mother and baby would remain healthy and that we would continue to rely on God as we prepare our hearts and our homes for this little blessing.

In the home stretch,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 28

This week, Abby weighs a little over two pounds and has grown in length to be almost 15 inches long from head to heel. She's sporting some eyelashes now and will turn her head toward a continuous bright light from outside the womb when her eyes are open. Her fat layers are beginning to form and she's preparing to pack on some major pounds as we enter the third trimester.

And speaking of third trimester...we're in the home stretch now with only three months left to go until we get to meet our precious baby girl. (Still can't believe how time has flown by...) We're told Christina's growth--which has been slow and gradual up to this point--will start to really pick up now. She's gained about 8 inches and 16 pounds since the start of this pregnancy and can look forward to gaining about 11 more pounds (and who knows how many inches!) in these last three months. Coincidentally, bending over is becoming more and more of a chore for Christina as Abby expands her territory in mom's belly. Although the additional surface area in her midsection comes in handy for taking notes and propping up her elbow when she's on the phone.

We feel like we're getting to know our daughter especially well as she is getting ever more active in the womb. Her sleep and wake cycles are very easy to distinguish, and most of her awake time is spent in what seems to be an effort to make more room for herself by kicking, punching and stretching as much as possible. Sometimes Christina wonders if Abby might just be all feet, hands and elbows. Then we see her little rump scooting around to the right of Christina's belly button and remember that there's actually a whole little person in there.

Justin has introduced Abby to some daddy-daughter play time, and we're very entertained (and amazed) at just how responsive she is to his voice and touches during the game we're affectionately calling "Thumps" (also commonly known as "Okay Abby, kick me!") For those of you who aren't familiar with Thumps, you'll need a pregnant belly, an active fetus, and one very creative dad to get started. The game goes a little like this: with his hand firmly on Christina's belly, Justin will press his fingers in gently and then tell Abby, "Kick daddy!" And amazingly, she does! Then we repeat the process until Abby gets bored and turns away or until the novelty of being kicked repeatedly wears off for Christina.

Justin started renovations on Abby's room this week, hanging chair rail and painting up a storm. Only a few more coats of paint to go before it's all ready to start moving stuff in. Next come curtains and crib assembly. But first, we're off to the beach where Christina's mom has promised to help her dig a hole in the sand for her belly so she can lay out on her stomach. Please pray for safe travels and that Christina will be able to tolerate the long hours sitting in the car without too much trouble.

Off to stick our toes in the sand,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 27

Abby's weighing in at just under 2 pounds this week and has grown about a half an inch in length to be almost 14 1/2 inches long, head to heel. Her eyelids, which up to this point have been fused shut, are functioning, and she can open and close her eyes now. She's developing regular sleep and wake cycles which are becoming easier to discern as Christina becomes more aware of her movements. (Although these cycles usually correspond to the opposite of whatever we're doing at the time!) She's probably sucking her thumb in the womb a lot now, and since Monday has frequently come down with a case of the hiccups. She's developing more and more brain tissue and her little baby brain is very active by now.

Great news! Christina went for her glucose and antibody screening this week (pause to brag: she managed to have blood drawn without crying!) and all reports came back good. The glucose screening returned normal, which means Christina's body is not having any problems processing sugar (so no signs of gestational diabetes). She'd like to chalk it up to all the practice she's given her body through the years in processing various candy products. The antibody screening returned negative, which means there are no signs yet of her body creating antibodies that would attack Abby if they have conflicting blood types. (As standard procedure, she'll receive a preventative shot for this anyway at her next appointment.) Praise God for continued health throughout this pregnancy!

On Monday Christina finally got to experience the unusual sensation of having someone hiccup inside her belly. Very strange indeed! This is becoming a regular experience for Abby, although we have no idea what causes it. Each bout of hiccups lasts only a few minutes and feels like, well, hiccups--only much lower.

Abby's little kicks and punches continue to get much stronger, and between the two of us we've at times been able to figure out how she's positioned in the womb. It's amazing how much she can make Christina's belly button stick out when she pokes a little foot up against it! She's very soothed by Justin's voice and will generally calm down whenever he talks to her (which makes getting to sleep much easier for Christina).

We're planning to take advantage of the Memorial Day weekend to start working on Abby's room. There's trim to be hung, walls to be painted and carpets to be cleaned!

Please continue to pray for Abby's healthy development as we wrap up the second trimester. We can't believe how time has flown by, and we know she'll be here in no time. We're so excited to finally meet this precious daughter God's promised us! Pray that we would use these last few months wisely as we prepare our hearts and our home for the awesome responsibility of parenthood.

Firmly in His grip,
Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 26

Abby weighs a little under 2 pounds now and measures 14 inches, head to heel (we can't help thinking she must be awfully cramped in there). The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, and her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are continuing their development as well, and she's begun taking small breaths of amniotic fluid to help prepare her for when she'll take her first breath of air. The pregnancy hormones are doing their job of loosening up Christina's joints and ligaments, making sitting or standing for long periods of time kind of a pain. Literally.

Greetings from the great state of Texas! Abby got to go on her first plane ride this morning to Dallas where we'll spend the weekend celebrating Justin's cousin's high school graduation. (Congrats Amy!) She stayed calm through the flight (Christina appreciated the couple of kick-free hours), so we're holding out hope that she'll be a good traveler once she gets out into the real world. With the exception of the time spent in the air, however, she's been on the move almost non-stop this week!

Abby's movements are getting stronger by the day and we're finding it more and more easy to discern little feet from little elbows. We haven't seen the footprints that other moms tell us we'll be able to make out on Christina's belly eventually, but her movements are definitely visible to others when Christina holds still. Abby seems to be turning into a daddy's girl already--it's entertaining to see and feel how she'll calm down when Justin rubs or lays his hand on Christina's belly. (A welcome break for mom, indeed!)

As we prepare to enter the homestretch (the third and final trimester is just around the corner!), we're excited and thankful for all the help, advice and resources that friends and family have so freely offered. What a blessing to be surrounded by so many people who care for us and our little one so practically and prayerfully! Please pray that we'll find time to do all the little things that need to get done before Abby's big debut in August. There's a room to be painted, furniture to be put together, and so much more that I'm sure we haven't even thought of. Pray that we would find the time to do it all, but that our focus would stay on the God who loves us unconditionally and who is the reason for this miracle!

And now back to helping Amy celebrate her big day...

Dreamin' of some Texas BBQ,
Justin, Christina & Abby :)

Week 25

Abby's finally beginning to fill out and put on some baby fat, though she's still looking long and lean at 13 1/2 inches long head to heels and weighing just a pound and a half. But she's packing quite a punch in that little frame--literally! Abby's movements have grown much stronger in the last week and are actually visible as she kicks, punches and rolls around in the womb. Watching Christina's belly take on a life of its own has been quite entertaining this week.

All reports from our doctor's visit this week came back good. Abby's heartbeat is strong and her growth is right on target. Christina's iron levels are right where they should be and her growth--though it has jumped significantly since the last visit--is on target as well. We'll go next week for Christina to have a standard glucose screening (a not-so-fun test where she'll have her blood drawn, again) and Justin to have his blood type confirmed. Because Christina has a negative blood type and Justin is most likely positive, Christina will have to get a shot at 28 weeks to prevent her body from developing antibodies against the potentially positive blood type Abby could have. Not to fear--this is just another standard procedure that is very common in pregnancies with conflicting blood types.

Thanks so much to those of you who were praying for more restful nights for us this week--we have definitely felt your prayers being answered (although Abby still takes advantage of our rest time as her play time)! Thanks also for your continued prayers for our little girl's healthy development. It's a great mystery that God uses our prayers to accomplish His purpose, but a great privilege to be able to bring those requests before His throne. Thank you for taking advantage of such a tremendous opportunity to lift up prayers on behalf of our daughter and our family!

And Happy Mother's Day!

Thinking pink,

Justin, Christina & Abby :)

Week 24

Abby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week. She's almost a foot long, and still weighs less than a pound and a half, which makes for a pretty lean figure, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll begin putting on some baby fat soon. Her taste buds are developing, her brain is growing rapidly, and her lungs are producing a substance that will help the air sacs inflate easily when she takes her first breath.

Abby's growth is becoming ever more obvious to the outside world as Christina's belly continues to expand to make room for our little girl. Her waistline measured in at 36 inches this week--that's a whole inch and a half in gain since last week! But it makes sense, since her uterus is about the size of a soccer ball now.

Abby's been very active in the womb this week, and we'll admit that the strength of her little kicks makes it easier to think of her as a star soccer player than a helpless little baby. Seeing an eight-week-old little girl at the coffee shop last night helped put things in perspective as to how tiny she's going to be when she's born. But boy is she strong now! A friend at church told Christina that a baby's fetal personality often gives a glimpse into what she'll be like as she gets a little older. If so, we've got a little ball of fire on our hands!

Please pray for rest for us both in these few remaining weeks as Abby's nighttime activity has picked up and is making for a few sleepless nights. We thank you for your continued prayers for our baby girl's healthy growth and development, and for an easy pregnancy for Christina. Praise God that as we read about and study pictures of what Abby's development might look like right now, He knows every little detail of everything that's happening in Christina's womb. What a hopeful reassurance to know that our daughter's heavenly Father is looking out for her!

Growing in grace (and girth),

Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 23

Abby's growth continues to pick up speed in the second trimester. She's more than 11 inches long now and weighs just over a pound. Her skin is still red and wrinkled, but as she starts to put on fat in the next few weeks, the wrinkles should subside as her skin stretches out. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing this week that will prepare her for breathing outside the womb. She can swallow and is probably making a regular habit of sucking her thumb. She's also becoming more and more aware of noise from outside the womb.

Christina has gained almost 15 pounds and five inches since the start of this pregnancy, and Abby has successfully pushed her mom's bellybutton into the "outty" position. Our baby girl has stayed active this week, and the video from April 11 that shows her playing with her umbilical cord at one point gives us some idea as to what she might be doing in the womb. Christina describes the feeling as having a large fish flopping around inside her belly. Occassionally she's able to discern what feels like Abby stretching out or flipping over.

We were told this week that the nerve Abby is so fond of resting on is the sciatic nerve that provides feeling to Christina's right leg, causing a tingling and numbness from her hip down to her toes. Fortunately, Justin figured out that gravity will move Abby off of this nerve, so helping Christina do a handstand is our approved solution to this problem.

Please pray this week that God would be preparing our hearts for parenthood as we prepare for Abby's arrival in just a few months. Pray also for our daughter's continued growth, and that He would continue to oversee her healthy development in the womb. We praise Him for his faithfulness so far in caring for Abby and Christina throughout this pregnancy!

In His grip,

Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Pregnancy Milestones

December 19: find out we're pregnant

December 25: tell the family we're pregnant

January 2: Christina puts in her nine-months notice at work

January 19: first prenatal doctor's visit

February 1: first look our baby; get to hear her heartbeat for the first time

February 7: developing baby bump makes buttoning pants somewhat of an adventure

February 13: purchase first pair of maternity pants (of the non-frumpy variety)

February 21: begin FitMama salsa workout

March 23: Christina begins to feel a few occasional "flutters" of the baby moving in her belly

March 27: find out we're having a girl

March 29: finalize her name: Abigail Jean

April 7: halfway there!

April 11: feel first "thump" from inside of the womb

April 20: officially give up trying to fit into pre-pregnancy clothes

April 27: park in "New & Expectant Mothers" parking at Kroger for first time (and plan on doing it again, often)

Week 22

Abby's looking more like a miniature newborn now--almost 11 inches long and weighing a little less than a pound. Her lips are becoming more distinct now and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are fully developed, though her eyelids will remain fused shut for a while longer.

The belly expansion seems to have picked up this week, a trend that should continue to gain in momentum up until Abby's born. Though it's nowhere near as large as it will be, Christina's already starting to notice little inconveniences, such as being pushed just a few inches farther away from the sink when she washes dishes.

Abby must have known how excited we were to finally get to feel her little kicks in the womb last week. It seems as if she hasn't stopped moving since last Wednesday! We still only get the occasional "thump" from our little girl, but she's been on the move almost continually for a week now--rolling from side to side, turning over, and doing whatever else babies do in the womb to keep themselves entertained during their last few months in utero. When she does hold still, she has a bad habit of resting on whatever nerve or blood vessel provides feeling to Christina's right foot and leg. Usually a little prodding of the belly can get her out of the way so Christina can have the feeling back and walk around. Abby's proving to be a fiesty fetus!

Thank you for your continued prayers for our little one and for a healthy pregnancy. God is most certainly answering them! This continues to be a very easy pregnancy for mom and baby, and we thank for you praying with us that that would continue. Please pray also that as we're working on getting Abby's room ready and thinking about all the details involved in bringing a newborn into our home that we wouldn't forget to prepare our hearts as well for this awesome calling.

In awe of this mystery,

Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 21

According to this week's ultrasound, Abby's weighing in at almost three-quarters of a pound now and should be about 10 1/2 inches long, head to heel. Her eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed now, and her tiny ears are able to make out sounds.

The ultrasound on Wednesday gave us what should be our last look at our little girl before she makes her grand entrance in August. She's proving to be a modest little thing, but the technician was able to coax Abby into moving her foot out of the way to show us for sure that she's a little girl. She seemed to be resting while we were trying to get a good look at her, laying comfortably on her belly and making it difficult for us to see her tiny face. But the technician was able to check everything she needed to--Abby's head circumference, femur lenghth, kidneys and heartbeat--and all reports came back positive. It's amazing to get to see her little heart beating on the screen. In the video, you'll see two times when heat imaging is applied to show first the blood pumping through the umbilical cord and later the four chambers of our daughter's beating heart. What a little miracle!

Abby's getting a little more active lately, and on Wednesday night we were able to feel her kick (or punch...who knows, really?) for the very first time. Up until now her movements have been faint little flutters, but this was a definite--albeit gentle--thump from inside the womb.

Please continue to pray for God to prepare us for this awesome responsibility He's called us to of raising one of His daughters. We're so excited to welcome this new addition to our family, but we know that "unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). Pray that we would continue to put our trust in God to care for our little one, and that we would rely on the Spirit to give us the strength and wisdom to parent our daughter rightly.

In His grip,

Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 20

Abby's gained about 2 ounces since last week to weigh in at 10 1/2 ounces now. She's around 6.5 inches long, head to bottom, and about 10 inches head to heel. She continues to practice swallowing, which will help her to develop her digestive system, and may be sucking her thumb in the womb from time to time.

We're halfway there! Twenty weeks marks the official halfway point, and we just can't believe how these past few months have flown by. This week's home project was a total purge of everything that had been stored for the last two years in what will be Abby's room--quite a task! Now it's time to start thinking about paint chips and bedding so we can get this room ready for our little girl.

Christina has gained about 7 pounds so far and we're told she can look forward to packing on about a pound a week from this point on. There are still a few pairs of pre-pregnancy pants she can make work, but for the most part, maternity pants and skirts have become part of her dailly wardrobe.

We've enjoyed getting to hear everyone's reactions to the name we've chosen for our little girl, but are even more excited that we can begin praying for our little one by name now. Please pray with us that God will continue to bless us with an easy pregnancy as we countdown these last 20 weeks and that Abby would continue to develop well and grow strong!

We'll go back for a full anatomy ultrasound next week where they'll be taking a closer look at Abby's skeletal development and organs. Pray that they'll be able to get a clear picture of her (she's been moving around a lot both times we've seen her so far!) in order to properly examine her and make sure everything is developing as it should.

With sugar and spice and everything nice,

Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Week 19

Well, now that we know what we're having, I guess we can't call her Ziggy anymore. Time to give this little one a name! Wondering what we're going to call her? Click below before you read on to find out:

As the summer draws to a close, we'll welcome the first baby girl Fisher in over 100 years into our family. Justin's was the third generation of all boys, so the responsibility of coming up with a name for our little girl is not one we took lightly.

"...and the name of his wife was Abigail.
And the woman was discerning and beautiful..." -- 1 Samuel 25:3

Abigail is from a Hebrew word meaning "a father's joy" or "my father rejoices." Our prayer for little Abby is that she will indeed be the joy and delight of her Heavenly Father, and that she would come to know Him and rejoice in Him as well.

Jean is Christina's middle name, a name choosen by her mother in honor of her grandmother (Abby's great-grandmother!), Helen Gean, whose mother (Abby's great-great-grandmother) chose the name for her three generations ago.

Abby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces now and measures 6 inches, head to bottom (about the length of a small zucchini). Her arms and legs are in the right proportion to each other and the rest of her little body now. As you could see in the video, her bones are hardening and her spine is well developed now. She may even be starting to sprout some hair on her head! This is a crucial time for her sensory development as specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision and touch are forming. And since we now know she's a little girl, we know that she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries already that may be some of our grandchildren one day!

In addition to the joy of finding out what we're having, Christina has had a number of exciting moments this week when she's been able to feel the little flutters that indicate Abby's moving around inside of her. They're few and far between right now, but should become more frequent in the coming weeks. And it will only be a few more weeks until Justin will feel the little thumps as well.

Things continue to go well with Christina's health. The doctor said both mother and baby are doing very well, and everything looks great so far. Abby's heartbeat was strong when we got to hear it on Tuesday--about 140 beats a minute! Please continue to pray for our little girl's development and for us as we prepare to welcome this daughter God has blessed us with into our family.

Thinking pink,

Justin, Christina and Abby :)

Meet Baby Girl Fisher!

What a surprise we got this week! It wasn't supposed to happen until April, but on Tuesday we found out we're going to have a little girl! We can't wait to meet our precious daughter!

It's been over 100 years since there was a "Baby Girl Fisher." Now, after three generations of Fisher boys, we get to pick out a little girl name. How exciting!

And now, the answer to the question you've all been asking: whatever will her name be? Click below to find out...

Week 18

Ziggy's growth is slowing down this week, though her development is still charging forward. She's about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and weighs almost 7 ounces. Ziggy's busy flexing her arms and legs, movements that we should be noticing the in the next few weeks! Her blood vessels are still visible through her thin skin, and her ears have moved into their final position on the sides of her head. Whether Ziggy's a boy or girl is still a mystery to us, but all the reproductive organs are formed and in place already.

Maternity clothes have become a must now, and Christina is happy to report that there are a number of very fashionable options out there for her growing middle. (She's a little confused, however, as to why the makers of maternity pants and skirts don't seem to think that pregnant women need real pockets in their clothing.) Justin is having a ball watching this belly grow and both mom and dad are eagerly waiting until we'll be able to feel Ziggy moving.

We have been so blessed so far with the ease of this pregnancy. Each week as we countdown to Ziggy's arrival, we continue to be amazed at just how smoothly everything is going. Please continue to pray for for an easy, healthy pregnancy. Your prayers are being answered!

Christina will spend the morning of her 25th birthday at another doctor's appointment next week where we'll get to hear the baby's heartbeat again. Then it's just a few more days until we find out whether we should be stocking up on Matchbox cars or baby dolls!

Please pray that Christina will be able to eat well, and eat enough, to keep the two of them healthy and gain the right amount of weight over the next few months. She's on the low end of the weight-gain spectrum right now, which is not a cause for concern, but pray that she would know when and what to eat to help this baby continue to develop well.

Lovin' (the miracle of) life,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 17

Ziggy's in the middle of another growth spurt right now! He currently weighs about 5 ounces and is about 5 inches long--about the size of a large onion. (A pretty significant increase from the medium-sized avocado he was last week.) His sense of hearing is developing this week--time for Dad to start teaching him some electric guitar riffs! Ziggy can move his joints now, and his skeleton, which up until now has been just rubbery cartilage--has started to harden into actual bone.

We still haven't felt any movement yet, but the daily changes in Christina's belly are a huge (no pun intended) source of entertainment. We've watched this bump move further and further up toward her belly button this week, but it's still hard to believe there's a whole little person growing in there! The forgetfulness that seems to be a common by-product of pregnancy has come upon Christina like the plague, so please be patient with her as she tries to remember things like what she was supposed to do next at work, who she was going to call when she picked up her phone, and why she stopped at the grocery store.

All in all, things are continuing to go very smoothly, for which we are very grateful. The moms at our church have been a tremendous asset as they've showered Christina with books, resources, advice and even clothes to help her through the pregnancy, delivery and beyond. Who knew there were so many books on babies out there?! We'll go back to the doctor for Ziggy and Christina's next check up in just over a week, and then it won't be too long after that we can finally start planning the baby's room once we find out what we're having in April! Thank you for continuing to pray for Christina's health and the health of our little one. Pray that God will continue to prepare us for the awesome responsibility of parenthood.

In awe of this growing miracle,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 16

With a gain of about a half an inch this week, Ziggy's now measuring 4 1/2 inches long and weighs just over 3 ounces--about the size of an avocado. She's preparing for a tremendous growth spurt in the next three weeks, and by the end of this month she will have doubled in weight and added many inches to her lenghth. Her eyes have moved to the front of her head and her ears are close to their final position. Her lower limbs, which have been about as long as her arms, are much longer and more developed now. Her more advanced body systems are working now, including her circulatory system. Ziggy's tiny heart pumps about 25 quarts of blood each day (by the end of the pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts a day). Her eyes are moving, although still tightly closed, and she's able to detect light.

Justin's mom told us to start paying close attention this week--those little twinges in Christina's belly just might be Ziggy moving. We've done a lot of holding still and haven't been sure we've felt anything yet, but Christina's looking forward to being able to finally feel little Ziggy moving around inside of her soon!

We're counting down the days until we get to find out for sure whether we'll be be decking out the babies room in pink or blue. We go for another ultrasound on April 11 and should be able to find out what Ziggy is at last!

We continue to be blessed by the ease of this pregnancy so far! Thank you so much to all of you who are praying for a safe, healthy and easy nine months for Christina -- your prayers are certainly being answered! Aside from the craving for Starbucks' Java Chip ice cream (which isn't really different from Christina's pre-pregnancy cravings) and the growing bump on her belly, we don't really have much to talk about when people ask how the pregnancy is going. But no news is good news, and we continue to praise God for no morning sickness, minimal aches and pains, and the positive reports at each doctors' visit. Please continue to pray for healthy development for the baby and a healthy rest of the pregnancy for Christina as we near the halfway mark.

Lovin' this little miracle,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 15

Ziggy's gaining in weight and length this week to be about four inches long (crown to rump) and weighing about 2 1/2 ounces. The air sacs in his lungs are developing as he inhales and exhales the amniotic fluid he's floating in, and he's continuing to work out his joints and limbs by moving his arms and legs. Although his eyelids are fused shut at this point, his eyes are fully developed and can sense light. We're told if we shine a flashlight at Christina's belly, he's likely to move away from the beam (although Christina still isn't aware of any movements yet). Taste buds are forming this week--although there's nothing for him to taste yet!

Now that Ziggy's ears are formed, Justin's enjoying talking to him, telling him jokes and explaining how much we're looking forward to meeting him. Christina continues to do well healthwise and we're so thankful for how smoothly this pregnancy has gone so far.

Christina went for her latest prenatal visit this week and was able to hear Ziggy's heartbeat again--what a thrill! (If you want to know what it was like, go sit in front of your dishwasher next time it's running. That's exactly what listening to a baby's heartbeat through layers of belly and amniotic fluid sounds like.) As she and the doctor listened to the heartbeat (140 beats per minute--strong and healthy!) there was an occasional gurgling noise that indicated Ziggy's activity as he moves around in the womb. The doctor tells us that --just like his ultrasound showed--we've got an active baby that likes to move around. A lot! We're looking forward to finally being able to feel those little movements in a few more weeks.

And speaking of milestones, we've got our calendar marked for April 11. That's when we'll get to go back for our next ultrasound and find out if we're having a daughter or a son. No more waiting and wondering!

Please continue to pray that God would be daily preparing us to care for this little one and to point him to the only One who can love him perfectly.

By faith alone,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 14

To continue the tradition of comparing our child to various food items, Ziggy is about the size of a lemon this week--roughly 3 1/2 inches head to bottom--and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Her body is finally starting to grow faster than her oversized head, and she's got a more well-defined neck at this point. Ziggy's finally starting to looks like a pretty normal human! By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened out and will be in proportion to the rest of her little body. Her legs still have a ways to go. Christina still can't feel the baby's movements yet, but Ziggy's hands and feet (which are about half an inch long!) are very active. Brain impulses are also causing her little facial muscles to work hard too, as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and may even be sucking her thumb inside the womb.

Healthwise, Christina is doing great. She's swimming and excercising regularly (the FitMama salsa workout was a great gift from a mom of four at church) and she and Justin are both enjoying the fruit smoothies they've perfected for breakfast. The early-pregnancy exhaustion is a thing of the past, and mom-to-be is happy to have her energy level back to normal.

In fact, now that we think about it, this has been a pretty easy pregnancy so far. (Please pray that that would continue!) Christina's had no real morning sickness to speak of, no weird food cravings (she always craved ice cream anyway...), and the first trimester passed incident-free. We're thankful for how smoothly things have gone and pray that this would be a trend throughout the remainder of the pregnancy--only 26 weeks to go!

It really is incredible to be a part of this miracle, and we're humbled when we stop to think that God's using us to bring a child into this world. What a tremendous gift little Ziggy already is! Please pray that God would prepare us for the responsibility of raising this little one, and that we would be able to show our baby His love from day one.

Loving this miracle,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 13

The race between Ziggy and Christina's belly is on, and the contestants are tied so far...Ziggy grew another inch this week to be about three inches long (about the size of a jumbo shrimp) and Christina added another inch to her belly for a total of about three inches in gain since the start of the pregnancy. Ziggy is getting to be much more proportional now, with his formerly oversized head now only about a third the size of his tiny body. His fingerprints are already in place and his kidneys are functional now. Most of his critical development will be completed this week as we close out the first trimester.

Meanwhile, in belly news, Christina broke down this week and bought her first pair of maternity pants. (And they're not the least bit frumpy.) Reports are in, and they are much more comfortable than the jeans that were beginning to cut into her growing belly. The doctor warned us that because Christina's small, we'd probably notice her growing belly sooner than some pregnant women. She was right!

The cold that plagued our household last week has come and gone, and all the Fishers seem to be back in good health. Thank you for your prayers!

The excitement continues to build as this pregnancy progresses. It's overwhelming sometimes thinking about just how tiny and helpless this little child is, but it serves as an excellent reminder of our own standing as children of God. Little Ziggy can do nothing for himself right now. He can't make himself grow, he can't keep himself healthy, and he can't sustain himself. Everything that happens from the moment of conception on is in God's hands as He works to grow and nourish this little baby. How easily we forget how true that is in our own lives! Far too often we forget how desperate we'd be if our relationship with God depended on us. It is He who created us, and it is He who sustains us. Were it not for His great love for us in sending His Son, our situation would be pretty grim! As we continue to pray for Ziggy, we're reminded also to praise our heavenly Father for calling us out of darkness into His great light!

By His grace,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 12

Ziggy hit the 2-inch mark this week, growing to about the size of a small lime, and weighing about a half and ounce. She's almost tripled in size in just the past three weeks! Her face starts to look less alien this week as her eyes, which started out on the sides of her head, are moving closer together on her face, and her ears near their final positions on either side of her tiny head. Her nerve cells are multiplying rapidly and the neurological pathways in her brain are forming. Ziggy's developed quite a few more reflexes by now, including sucking, and apparently she'll now squirm a little, open her mouth and even move her fingers and toes if we prod Christina's abdomen (although we still won't feel any movement for a number of weeks).

Ziggy's growth is becoming more and more obvious outside the womb as well. We were amazed at how much Christina's belly seemed to grow just over the past week! (Though we know she's still got a lot of growing left to do...)

We also hit another milestone this week. The following is an exerpt from a morning in the Fishers' closet:

Christina: Grrrrrr....
Justin: Whatcha doing there, babe?
Christina: Buttoning my pants. (More grunting)
Justin: Do you need some help?
Christina: No, I've got it. They're just a little snug.
Justin: Do we need to get you some bigger pants?
Christina: No, it's not that I can't button them. They're just more comfortable if I don't.

It'll be time for maternity clothes soon enough. For now we've successfully added an inch to Christina's pants with the help of a rubberband.

Christina's been fighting a cold all week, so please pray that she'll heal quickly and be back to normal. The good news is that Ziggy doesn't feel a thing--she's taken over the majority of Christina's immune system and is nice and snug and healthy inside her little womb.

Please continue to pray for Ziggy's normal, healthy development. Now that we've heard the heartbeat and seen her little movements, we're more excited than ever, but realize just how delicate this little life is. It's still amazing to read about how much she's growing and changing from week to week. Please pray with us that God will continue to oversee her healthy development and that Christina will be over this cold quickly.

In His grip,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 11

Our little baby is now fully formed--although still so tiny, measuring 1.25 inches exactly and weighing about a quarter of an ounce. Some of Ziggy's bones are beginning to harden, and tiny toothbuds are starting to appear under his gums. His fingers and toes have separated, and as we saw in the ultrasound, he's busy opening and closing his fists.

There are a few milestones we'll never forget, and yesterday we added one more amazing one. We got to see what you can see by clicking the play button on the video above--our little baby, dancing, kicking, squirming and stretching in his temporary home inside Christina's uterus. There are simply no adequate words to describe how we felt watching this little life move around, and we'll simply have to trust that all the parents reading this know what we mean. What a miracle! The ultrasound technician noted that Ziggy was wide awake for his first pictures, and he put on quite a show for us during the brief minutes we were able to catch these early glimpses of him. How incredible to see tiny legs and feet and arms and hands moving around, and to know that God is overseeing every detail of his development. Turn your speakers on, because about halfway through the video you'll be able to hear the fetal heartbeat--160 beats per minute. Strong and healthy! And if you pay close attention, you'll see Ziggy stretch an arm over his face and you can just make out those tiny, tiny fingers. We like to think he was waving. Toward the end the technician added some thermal imaging that shows Ziggy's blood pumping through his little body.

Christina continues to stay healthy but is getting a little bored of trying to eat so many fruits and vegetables. If anyone has any secrets for dressing up healthy foods to make them more palatable, send them our way! Her stomach is being quite finicky this morning, so please say a prayer that that will subside quickly so she can make sure to get Ziggy all the nutrients he needs.

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name." -- 1 Chronicles 29:11-13

We praise God for this tiny miracle that He's creating and thank Him that He sees fit to give us one of His children to care for! Please pray with us that Ziggy would continue to develop properly by God's strength and according to His soveriegn plan, and that our little baby would learn to praise His glorious name from a very young age.

We love this little baby so much already, and are so excited about all the friends and family Ziggy will have when he finally shows himself to the world. Thank you for your continued prayers for this little gift!

By grace alone,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 10

Ziggy hit another milestone this week, transitioning from the embryonic to the fetal stage. According to the world of medicine, she's an official fetus now! (Although we've known she was our little baby all along...) She's big enough now that all the books start reporting an average fetal weight. So this week, Ziggy's about the size of a kumquat (coincidentally, also about the size of Chrisitina's thumb, which makes her growth easy to illustrate to others) and weighs just under a quarter of an ounce. Now that she's in the fetal period, her tissues and organs will begin to rapidly grow and mature. Her liver, kidney, intestines, brain and lungs are all in place and starting to function. Over the next three weeks, Ziggy's length will more than double in size to nearly three inches! Her formerly-webbed fingers and toes are now completely separated and she is busy kicking her little legs--though Christina still won't feel these little movements for a few more weeks.

Ziggy's not the only one changing! Christina has been pleased to notice that the exhaustion that has been so prevalent over the last few weeks is beginning to subside, and she's feeling almost back to normal where her energy level is concerned. She's started swimming and is happy to have a fitness routine to help get and keep her in shape throughout this pregnancy. (Although the swimsuit she had in college is beginning to get a little snug...)

We'll go for our second prenatal appointment next week where they tell us we'll finally be able to have an ultrasound and get to see Ziggy for the first time! How exciting! We'll also be able to hear the baby's heartbeat at that time. It still overwhelms us to think there's a whole little person growing inside Christina's belly.

Please pray that the doctor's appointment will go well next Thursday and all reports will be positive. We continue to lift up our little one in prayer, and are so thankful for those that are coming alongside us to do the same. Pray that she'll continue to develop properly and that Christina will be able to stay healthy and eat well for the two of them.

Lovin' this miracle,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 9

Ziggy hit a growth spurt this week, nearly doubling in size to be about an inch long now and weighing just a fraction of an ounce. He's packing a lot of punch into that little body though. This week his organs, muscles and nerves will be kicking into high gear and starting their rapid development. He has earlobes now, and by the end of the week the inner workings of his ears will be complete. (Maybe it's time for Justin to start teaching him to appreciate the electric guitar...) His facial features are starting to look even more human, and his mouth, nose and nostrils are more distinct. All of Ziggy's major joints are working now, and he's busy exercising his shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and ankles. His tiny heart has divided into its four chambers and the heart valves are beginning to develop. All this in a package no bigger than a grape!

Christina continues to do remarkably well and is beginning to get used to the need for a daily nap. The finicky stomach seems to be subsiding, thanks to some welcome advice that she should snack more frequently. Justin has made packing her a bag of grapes to take to work part of his regular morning routine.

We just returned from our first prenatal visit--how exciting! We have so much information to read through now. The initial report shows Christina to be healthy and the pregnancy progressing as it should be. We weren't able to have an ultrasound today, so we'll have to wait another two weeks to go back and hear the baby's heartbeat. (On a side note, Christina would like to take a second to brag about the fact that she managed to have her blood drawn without crying today. Trust us--this is a big step!)

Thank you for your continued prayers for our little one. How exciting will it be for you to be able to tell Ziggy one day, "Hey, I prayed for you when you were just the size of a grape!" We are trusting God with this tiny miracle--it's His, after all--and continue to pray that our baby will be born healthy, and that God will equip us to meet all his needs.

In His grip,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)

Week 8

Ziggy's had a busy week! She's constantly moving around, excercising her developing muscles, joints and appendages, although we won't be able to feel her little wiggles for quite some time. She's grown to be about the size of a kidney bean this week, and her little tail (an exension of her tailbone) is beginning to disappear. Her arms, legs, feet and hands are developing quickly, and her little fingers and toes are growing longer, though they're still slightly webbed. Her knee joints have formed--maybe Ziggy will be a runner like her uncles! Breathing tubes extend from her throat to the branches of her developing lungs, and the nerve cells in her brain are also branching out to connect with one another.

Christina continues to struggle with feeling tired all the time, and is having a hard time getting used to not having her usual amount of energy. (Cutting back on all the caffeine and sugar, she's sure, is also contributing to her decreased energy levels.) This week has been a little more difficult as her stomach seems to be getting a little more finicky about what she eats. Unfortunatly for Justin, it seems that very bland foods like plain chicken, salad, applesauce--and anything with very little flavor--seem to be most appealing to mom-to-be. We're thankful that Christina has been blessed with very few problems with nausea so far. Please pray that she would be able to eat well, and enough, for the two of them.

We continue to praise God for the outpouring of support from our friends at church. Ours is a growing church, due at least in part to the fact that there is an almost constant cycle of pregnancies and new babies going on there. The many moms at our church have been very forthcoming with advice, resources, listening ears, and gifts to help us as we get ready for Ziggy's arrival. Just this morning we received a call from a mom who is moving and would like to give us some of the baby items they're not taking with them. Our church really is our church "family," and we're so thankful for the ways God is showing His love to us through the body of Christ, His church.

There's just one week until our first prenatal visit, and it seems like it can't come soon enough. Christina plans to start swimming again soon (an activity she loved in college, and an excellent one for pregnant women) to help get and keep her body in good shape for this pregnancy. We're also trying to make the 3-mile walk around our neighborhood a more regular activity, which may be easier to get motivated for when it warms up a little! But as hard as it is, Christina continues to take her mom's good advice to take it easy and let her body rest when she needs it. Please pray that this time of preparation while we wait for Ziggy's arrival will be one in which we can truly learn what it means to rest in Christ, and to trust Him for all our needs.

In awe of this mystery,

Justin, Christina and Ziggy :)