seventeen weeks

The first picture is from our trip to Europe this summer, I put it on here as a prepreggo reference point. We are in Florence, Italy and the couple we are with is our good friends Tim and Jean Thompson. Anyhow, the next picture is me at 11.5 weeks, and following that is a picture from today at 17 weeks preggo. I'm still feeling great, with occasional sickness.

Paul and I made our first trip to Babies 'R' Us, which was quite exciting. We didn't purchase anything, or register, we simply wanted to look at all of the options and do a little research. Paul and I walked in having no idea how to get a car seat out of the base, and after helplessly working on one for five minutes on our own we were then approached by stephanie (a very kind worker at the lexington store) who taught us a bunch of fun facts, needless to say we are now almost pros at taking car seats in and out of the base, locking them in to strollers (a.k.a. travel systems), folding the strollers down, and tightening and loosening the straps of the car seat. We had quite a fun time. Paul was even getting to the point of timing himself to see how quickly he could do it all, I was quite impressed.

fun facts about rex:
he is now about 5 inches and 5 ounces (about the size of large onion)
I should be able to feel him move anytime in the next couple of weeks
he is growing his toenails
his skeleton is hardening into bone
his sense of hearing is developing

the joys of the second trimester

The past five days I have not been sick and the past three days I have felt fantastic! Oh, it is great to feel normal again! Tuesday the third (tomorrow) we enter into the second trimester, which many call the honeymoon trimester, because most women feel wonderful. As far as Rex's development, he is now about 3.5 inches long (about the size of a lemon) and an ounce and a half. His vocal cords are developed, he can cry silently, and he also is able to make many different facial expressions, even able to suck his thumb.
On the more serious side of things, every now and then I am overwhelmed with joy mixed with fear about our baby's life: if we will raise this baby in a way that is pleasing to the Lord, if this baby will grasp the Lord's love for him, what kind of heartache lies ahead for this little one...and the only thing that subsides the thoughts and fears is that the Lord loves this baby more than I ever will, and ultimately this is God's baby not mine or Paul's, it is his gift to us to love and raise, but overall He is the father and the one who will take care of this baby in every area of his life.