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 :)