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 :)