28 Weeks

Size of Baby: Chinese cabbage (about 2 1/4 lbs., almost 15 inches head to heel).

Cravings: Nothing new in this department...

What is different this time around: I believe that my weight gain has been significantly less so far this time around, which is great. With both Hope and Haven I gained 40 lbs. So far I've gained about 19 lbs. this time. We'll see how this third trimester weighs in :) Also, recently I've been really bugged by how sensitive my stomach is to touch. Both girls have no idea how bothersome it is to elbowed and kneed in the stomach right now. Add to that the constant kicking and pushing from inside and it is almost unbearable!

Symptoms: Heartburn (occasionally) and other unpleasant symptoms. Let's just say that prunes, applesauce and dragonfruit are my friends... and lots and lots of water.

Appointments: Just had our 28 week appointment yesterday. Fundal height is 27 centimeters, so I'm measuring a week behind, which is fine. Everything looked good. Baby heartbeat is strong, in the 130-140 range. Next appointment is August 2, the day after Haven's 2nd birthday. After that, we'll be seeing the doc every two weeks until D-Day. It's always amazing to me how quickly the time flies right on by...

Letting Self Die

I am reading a book. A real, paper paged book. I've read this one before, but it's one that is definitely worth more than one read-through. It's worth digging into and really absorbing. It's called A Life to Die For. I'm almost halfway through, but I feel like I already need to start over again and reread and let it sink in still deeper.

I long to have the abundant life. I desire to have Christ so fill my heart and my life that He is all that others can see when they look at me. I want my daughters to see only Jesus' heart when they see me. All that is impossible while my self is alive. I need to admit that my self needs to die in order for Christ to fill me and live in me. This is the only way to have that abundant life.

Jesus, I choose to trust you when you say, "whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

24 Weeks

Size of Baby: Ear of corn (10.5 inches, 12.7 oz.)

Cravings: Still not having many. Sometimes I really want a Subway sandwich but I haven't given in to that in a while.

What Is Different This Time Around: I think I am gaining less weight this time than I did with both girls, but we'll see how that goes when Third Trimester arrives and baby starts really starts filling out. I can't believe only two more weeks until the end of the second trimester! It seems so soon...

Symptoms: Lots of kicking around, seeing baby move on the outside, heartburn (sometimes), some edema in my legs. My nausea has really pretty much disappeared, thankfully. Also, I have had much more energy.

Appointments: Our next appointment is scheduled for July 12 (easy to remember since it is my sister's birthday). Nothing special at that appointment. Our last one was just a few days ago, and baby is doing well, heartbeat sounds good, and I don't have anything unusual going on. It was a very standard, uneventful visit. Our next one should be the same.

Interviews

I interviewed Hope and Haven today. I think I'll probably end up doing this once a year, but today is the day I did both of them. Hope is almost 4 1/2 and Haven is almost 2. Here are their interviews:

Hope:

• What is something mommy always says to you? I love you.

• What makes you happy? Riding bicycles

• What makes you sad? Having friends leave

• What makes you laugh? Funny things

• How old are you? Four

• How old is Mommy? 100

• How old is Daddy? 700

• What is your favorite thing to do? Go swimming.

• Who is your best friend? David (her imaginary friend), P’Suchee and P’Mim

• What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a doctor.

• What are you really good at? Playing, cleaning up my room.

• What is your favorite food? Potatoes

• What is your favorite song? Grey Squirrel

• What do you want for your birthday this year? A little house with little dolls.

• What is your favorite animal? Little kitties

• What is love? A hug and a kiss

• What does mommy/daddy do for work? Does my learning/goes to school

• Where is your favorite place to go? Ratchaphreuk (the international flora festival here in Chiang Mai)

Haven:

• What is something mommy always says to you? Out of the kitchen.

• What makes you happy? Boobies (I have no idea why she said this!)

• What makes you sad? sad

• What makes you laugh? ahahaha

• How old are you? Five (she’s really one)

• How old is Mommy? Five, one

• How old is Daddy? Five

• What is your favorite thing to do? play

• Who is your best friend? P’Mim and P’Jip

• What do you want to be when you grow up? Daddy

• What are you really good at? Ummm, play

• What is your favorite food? Canun (jackfruit, in Thai)

• What is your favorite song? Grey Squirrel

• What do you want for your birthday this year? Corn

• What is your favorite animal? birdies

• What is love? Butterfly, moth

• What does mommy/daddy do for work? Play/tells about a story

• Where is your favorite place to go? Up-up

20 Weeks

Size of Baby: Cantaloupe (6.5 in., 10.6 oz.)

Cravings: None right now. Maybe if I hear of something I'll think that I really would like to have it, but I haven't really been craving anything for a little while now.

What is Different This Time Around: At this point, things seem pretty similar to the girls' pregnancies. Nausea is pretty much gone (I can drink water again, Yay!). I have more energy now, and the house isn't an absolute wreck because of fatigue anymore.

Symptoms: Feeling baby much more nowadays. I actually could see baby kicking around and moving this evening. That was exciting. It's always fun to watch, I think.

Appointments: Our next appointment is a month away. We just had our 20 week appointment and ultrasound. I know in my last pregnancy update I said that we were going to be surprised again, but looking at the baby on the ultrasound, it was just too tempting to pass up the opportunity to see this time around. So, we know and are certain that we are having a baby boy!

Hope and Haven

It's been a while so I thought it was high time to write an update on the girls.

I'll start with Hope...

     Hope finished her first reading lessons last week. We have been going through the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. We finally finished. By the end of the book, a child can read at a 2nd grade level, so that is approximately where Hope is now. She loves to sit on the couch and read books to herself out loud. She is very good at sight reading and sounding out new words as well. She loves to help me read our worship stories in the mornings and evenings.

     Two weeks ago, we decided it was about time to take Hope and get her hair cut. It is hot season here right now, and Hope's hair was getting long and causing her to be hot, hot, hot. Also, her hair is prone to tangle, and she dislikes getting it combed for that reason. So, shorter hair would help with that as well. I took her to a little shop down the road a little way. She absolutely refused to get her hair washed, but when she sat up in the barber's chair she did really well sitting still (as well as any four year old can :). The barber gave her a layered bob which is SO easy to take care of and looks really sweet on her. She likes her haircut, she's nice and cool, and we don't have battles over hair combing. Yay!

     Haven is growing, growing, growing. She is using more sentences now, putting words together very well. Some of her words that she says are way-guh-bug (ladybug), dab-up (stand up), and kee-bup (clean up).
     Just today, Haven had her first success on the potty. She had a couple of accidents, both of which I whisked her to the potty right after. The second time, she sat there and actually went quite a bit in the potty. Robbie, Hope and I were all able to cheer for her, and she was so proud of her success. Then, two more times this evening we had success with both #1 and #2. I am amazed at the success we've had in just one day of really trying. I think part of it was just getting her to successfully go a few times, and then once she realized what she's supposed to do, she's been able to have more successful trips. I'm so proud of her. If she continues on at this rate, when the baby comes in October we'll only have the baby in diapers!

I just love our girls to pieces. They are both so special. They love each other and love playing with each other, and reading books with and beside each other. I think they have a special relationship. Of course they have their off times, as well, but these two are SO precious.