25 Weeks

Here is the 25 Week BUMPdate: 1/8/14

And the side-by-side from last week:

She is about the size of a rutabaga this week:

She is about 1 1/2 lbs and 13 1/2 inches long.  Her proportions are pretty much birth-ready and most of the development left is weight gain and nervous system development.  Here's the good news of the week: if she were to be born {please don't mistake me, she is absolutely not being born soon…we're not ready for that yet!} but IF she were to be born, she would likely survive without much trauma as her lungs have started producing the necessary things to work.  Each week they just get stronger and stronger now.

Most exciting of all is that I get to feel her move this weekend!  Julie and crew are coming in town this weekend for my shower and I am just SO excited to spend time with them and also to sit and feel her belly and talk to our baby in there.  So exciting!!

As for my absence on my little slice of internet, I don't have any good excuse except that I enjoyed a relaxing break from real life over the holidays.  I spent many days waking up whenever I felt like it, staying in our PJs, crossing things off our to-do list, washing baby items, and laughing with our family. I am ready to get back to my normal routine because I've missed my blog friends!  :)

Happy Thursday, Friends -

24 Weeks

Here is the 24 Week BUMPdate - 1/1/14:

And the side-by-side from last week:

We officially have a popped out belly button!  And I feel like she looks bigger again this week.  Craziness.  :)  How is it possible that we are already SIX MONTHS into this pregnancy?!  Doesn't seem possible.

Kamdyn is about the size of an ear of corn this week:

She's growing steadily - gaining about 4 ounces since last week!  She now weights about 1 1/3 lbs and is a foot long.  That's pretty long and skinny!  But she will fatten up in the next few weeks.  Her brain is developing quickly as well as her lungs - each day she gets stronger and stronger.

In other news - Julie and her sweet family are coming to visit next week!  I cannot wait to see them!  And I've already reserved an undetermined amount of time with my hand firmly on her belly waiting to feel that baby move!  I cannot wait!  :)

For those of you who aren't following me on Facebook or Instagram, I've gotten a lot of work done in her nursery during this break from work.  Here is my little slice of Heaven {the one corner of her nursery that is nearly done…}

I promise I will get back to my regular blogging routine soon - I've been enjoying my break from life for the past few weeks.

Happy Thursday, Friends -

Today is my birthday.  Growing up, I always loved my birthday.  My presents were under the tree.  It prolonged the Christmas let-down.  I never had school and my parents rarely had to work.  Sometimes, if I was really lucky, extended family would still be in town from Christmas to celebrate my birthday.

As I've gotten older, I've begun not to like birthdays quite so much because I'm not really interested in this getting older business any longer.  But alas, it comes each year and there is nothing I can do about it.  So I might as well enjoy it, right?

Today, someone sent me this.  A blog reader I don't even know, who sent an anonymous email.  Someone I can't really even thank for the ways they changed my day.  I sat there at my computer with tears running down my cheeks because I am so beyond humbled by these kind words.

If you can't read it, it says this:

"You may feel you need inspiration.  Reading essays like "Welcome to Holland" or sentiments like this one may keep you going on days when you're feeling less than hopeful.  But you have a fair amount of inspirational power yourself. *** Others who feel they could never handle what you do are inspired by what you are able to accomplish - and people who have to handle the things you do are inspired by your example to try their hares.  Your efforts may inspire changes in the way others interact with your child and with all the other children to follow. *** The next time you're in need of a little inspiration, just look at all the lives you've changed with your love and hard work.  You really don't need to look any further than that. ***"

That was the single greatest birthday gift I've ever received.  

To whoever sent it, THANK YOU.  You've made my day.  :)

Lots of Love -

23 Weeks & Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Blog Family!

It's a little Christmas present from me to you that this BUMPdate is up a day early :)

Here is the 23 week BUMPdate: 12/25/13 -

And the side-by-side from last week:

I think she had quite a growth spurt this week, no?!  Both Julie & I thought it was quite a change from last week.  It's really hard to believe that next week we will be 6 months along.  SO crazy.

She is now over a pound and 11 inches long.  She's about the size of a mango this week:

I needed to find a picture that would give me a little size clue because one single mango on a white background wasn't helping me picture how big she is.  This picture really made me stop for a second.  She's actually that big right now.  Crazy.

In other developments this week, if Julie were to play a little music and begin dancing Kamdyn would recognize the movement.  Soon we should be able to see Kamdyn moving from the outside of Julie's belly.  {I'll say one more time that I cannot wait to lay on the couch and feel her move for hours upon hours…or until Julie gets tired of me! :)}  Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing and the sounds that her increasingly developing hearing can pick up are preparing her to enter the outside world.  Loud noises that are becoming normal to her {dogs barking, loud music, vacuum cleaner, etc} won't even phase her when she arrives.  {Julie, feel free to make as much noise as possible!  We have a loud family! :)}

I will be back this weekend with a recap and photo dump of the incredible Christmas we've had.  We are so blessed with family we genuinely enjoy, laughter, health, and joy.  We have unloaded and unpacked so many amazing gifts this Christmas - but my favorite gift this year?

Not only what's inside that belly - but the people who are in that home.  That family is one of the most incredible, life-changing, out-of-nowhere blessings I've ever experienced in my life.  Not only for me, but for the many people who have fallen in love with our story.  Many of you are reading this blog post because you know me in real life.  Others of you are reading this blog because you've heard about our story from someone you know who knows someone I know.  It has always been my prayer {and Julie's} that our story would be bigger than us…we wanted to share our story because we hoped it might inspire others to give intentional acts of kindness to others.  The magnitude of her act of kindness will never stop being incredible to me - but I am honored and humbled that this is the life God has given me.  I'm so thankful for this gift and have vowed that I will never stop telling Kamdyn the beautiful story of selfless, humble, Godly love that brought her into this world.

Thank you for making this little blog a part of your life.  You are one of my biggest blessings.  :)

Merry Christmas -

Grown up Christmas list

How is it possible that Christmas is tomorrow?!  I am enjoying slow time with my family over this break.  I'm not wishing away time.  I'm living in the moment.  I'm snapping pictures.  I'm eating lots.  I am being present in the present gratefully.

Do I ever know this!  I could make a list a mile long of things I want for the holidays that aren't really things at all.  I want children to not be sick, I want families to be together, I want peace, I want open-mindedness, I want kindness, I want families who want to have babies to be able to, I want cancer gone - the list could go on and on.  But none of these are things that Santa can just throw on his sleigh and bring.

Here's what I do love about Christmas though.  It's magical.  People are kinder.  They say please and thank you and Merry Christmas.  They smile more.  There is power in the season.  And I love that.

Give away something that can't be bought today.  I promise it'll be the best thing you do for yourself today.

:)

22 Weeks

Here is the 22 Week BUMPdate - 12/18/13:

And the side-by-side from last week:

She is 11 inches and a little more than a pound.  She's about the size of a spaghetti squash this week

As her eyebrows, eyelids, and lips become more distinct she looks more and more like a real baby.  :)  She's developing tiny tooth buds below her gums and her eyes have formed, but the colored part still lacks pigment.

She is head down right now and we're praying that she stays that way!  Julie has been feeling well lately and we are both having fun planning these final months of this journey together.  I get to see her in a little over three weeks and I simply can't wait to feel that belly.  I'm planning hours of just sitting on the couch with my hand on her belly waiting to feel my daughter move in there.  And I can't wait to read to her belly.  And talk to her belly.  Anyway, you all get the idea.  :)

I hope you have a wonderful Thursday - ONE more day until FRIDAY {aka…Winter Break!}

So What Wednesday

This week I'm saying so what if:

• I usually am right on the ball and have these posted early in the morning.  Today?  Not so much.
• I am not really confident that I'm going to make it out of school on Friday alive.  It feels like I might not make it.  :)
• I have approximately 10 gifts on my counter that need to be wrapped before Kaitlyn gets here on Friday…should probably make that happen.
• There are 3 gifts I still need to purchase…this weekend I'll tackle that.
• I am a perfectionist, but I'm beginning to get lazy in my perfectionism.  This article really spoke to me this week.  Like I'm thinking about doing another entire post about it.
• I got my nails done today and I'm having my first experience with a "party nail" {where one is painted a different color} - the jury is still out about my feelings.

• The chaos of holiday parties is about to begin
• there is an enormous snow storm coming our way for this weekend and I'm irritated because if it's not going to result in a snow day, I'm not interested.
• I'm not pleased with the winner of The Voice, but because my boyfriend Adam Levine is her coach, I'm going to move on with my life.

I think that's it for this week.  Head over to Life After "I Dew" (on my right sidebar) to tell her what you're saying SO WHAT to this week.  :)