20 Weeks

Finally reached the half-way point! Yes! This past week just flew by because Jordon and I were off vacationing with the Bridgewater Tennis teams in Hilton Head, SC. What a wonderful way to spend my break!

Living in the Shenandoah Valley, I have an obvious love and appreciate for the mountains and how God provided us with this beautiful backdrop for my life. However, spending time in Hilton Head has made me realize what am amazing creation He has in the beach as well. And not in the way that most people think.

The weather was nice, but definitely not swimming or laying-out worthy (temperatures ranges from low 60s-70). But everyday, Jordon and I would take walks out on the beach and it was amazing. We saw SO many different things, and I felt like a kid again, squealing over starfish, sand dollars, crabs, shells, etc. It was just amazing to see all of these things I never get to see at home.

Plus, the week really made me realize what life is going to be like after I have a little boy. Jordon and I stayed in the Men's team house, so I got my fair share of what living with a boy is really like (Jordon doesn't really count since he is a little more grown up and actually pretty neat for a guy!). Obviously living with 7 guys is a bit of an extreme, but boy did it scare me. First of all, they eat SO much. Four giant things of gatorade, 6 boxes of cereal (some of them costco size), 3 gallons of milk, and a few boxes of granola bars were gone in 4 days or less (and that was just breakfasts and snacks). You should have seen them down hamburgers an hot dogs... as scary as it was, it was almost impressive. And they are not very clean :-/ I'm hoping Jordon and I can teach Tyler early on how to be neat!!

As with the last couple of weeks, I'm really starting to actually FEEL pregnant. Not that the morning sickness and fatigue didn't do it, but having a belly really makes you feel pregnant rather than just unbearably sick. My belly is growing like crazy. It's funny because each week I feel like I'm getting SO much bigger than the last week, but then I'm surprised all over again the following week when I'm even bigger. I cannot imagine what I'll feel like when I hit the 3rd trimester.

I'm still pretty uncomfortable with my belly growing. It hurts every time I stand up or sit down because of all the stretching going on. However, I had been having pretty bad cramps from my uterus growing and those are starting to slow down in frequency, so I can't complain too much! And yesterday I felt the baby legitimately kick for the first time!! I've been feeling flutters a bunch over the past couple weeks, but I got 4 big old soccer player kicks in the left side of my belly last night!! I felt the first one and was so shocked, so Jordon put his hand on my belly and about 15 seconds later Tyler kicked again and Jordon was able to feel it. Needless to say, we were pumped! This morning I felt a couple kicks too, but I think I can only feel it when I lay in a particular position because of the way my placenta is in the front of my uterus (so I think it may cushion any kicks to the front of my belly). Anyway, it was amazing, and weird, and miraculous all at the same time. I've said it before and I will say it again, pregnancy is wild.

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We head to the baby doctor on Thursday for our big ultrasound, so I hope to report back with good news and lots of new pictures of Tyler!