Update from the Midwife

We visited the midwife yesterday, and she gave a good report for both Evan and me! Praise God!
With the way things are progressing, he could come any day now!! Evan's head is tucked snugly in my pelvis, and Emma says that usually she doesn't see babies positioned this low until partway through labor. What a good little boy! He has a very strong heartbeat, and she says that he seems to be an exceptionally healthy baby. =) We sure can't wait to meet him!!
If you could just be in prayer that I wouldn't be too anxious during these last couple weeks, and that when the time comes labor will be good. Pray also for my labor helpers and coaches, that God would give them strength and wisdom to care for me through that time! I am not afraid, only nervous about what I have never experienced before.... I have faith that the Lord will hold my hand and things will be wonderful, despite any complications that may arise.
Happy Tuesday! Remember to smile and find joy in the little things of life.
Blessings,
FarmGirl

37 Weeks Along...

... We're counting down the weeks (or maybe days) until Evan comes!! As of last week's midwife visit, we discovered that I am 2 cm dilated, 10% effaced, and the little guy is at 0 station! 

For those of you who have no idea what all that is about, it basically means I'm in the early stages of labor! The midwife predicts Evan will come early, maybe within the next couple weeks.

36 Weeks Pregnant!! Not too much longer to go!

Thanks!

Good morning, everyone! 

My kind, sweet husband's post must have caught several people's attention, because I've had some very caring phone calls and I know lots of prayers have been going up! Thank you all very much - I feel blessed.

I got sick over the weekend with some nasty flu virus, and because I'm pregnant it's taking me a bit longer than usual to recover! But I am feeling somewhat better today, and last night I was able to sit in on my shower down at Mom Eldredge's house. Joel helped me open gifts, and it was a nice time of blessings from precious women on my pregnancy and little Evan! God is always good, even in the midst of hard times. 

One of the verses that was shared last evening especially caught my heart and made me think about the way that I've been acting through these last few weeks of carrying our son. 

"Let us not become weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

I think I kinda mixed versions there, and I don't know the reference off the top of my head.... but you get the meaning! =) I guess I've never thought of how that verse applies to me right now during pregnancy. Surrendering my whole body to God for the purpose of nurturing and carrying the child He's created are my "well-doing" for this season of life. And He has a wonderful, beyond amazing gift for me at the end - a one of a kind, my very own, precious baby boy! But even if there wasn't the promise of a baby at the end... I have to trust that in God's right time, I would be rewarded for standing strong and completing the task He has placed before me. 

It is very discouraging (and honestly, depressing) to be so sick while almost 9 months pregnant! But "my God will supply all my needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus". Glorious - one of my favorite words! It's used to describe the way that He will care for me during the sad times, as well as the times of rejoicing. 

I would definitely appreciate your continued prayers for the next 5 weeks as I run the "home stretch" of carrying little Evan! Mostly, I would ask that you pray for God's protection against sickness so that I can be strong and healthy going into labor. 

Love,

Ashley

Update from the Midwife!

Hey there,

I realize that my last post was also about pregnancy progress, but that's sort of a BIG part of my life right now! And don't worry, it will be over with in about 5 weeks. Then you'll get to hear about Evan all the time! ;-) 

I had a prenatal visit with my midwife yesterday, and here's what I have to report:

- Evan is probably going to be tall (taking after my dad & the Eldredge guys)!

- The baby has officially "dropped", which is a good thing and means he's getting settled into position for delivery!

- His heartbeat is very strong and he seems to be a real healthy lil' fella!

- I have a slightly anemic iron level... probably why I've been so tired recently. We're starting me on a new supplement to help fix that.

- I have been having  quite a few contractions every day (some pretty hard). The midwife asked if I would be okay with Evan coming early! (Yes, I totally would, as long as he waits a few more weeks!)

- We got our packing list of things to take to the cabin when I go into labor. So exciting!!

I am about to start week 35. Please pray that we can bring my iron level up and that I don't get sick anymore between now and the birth! Also, I still have to manage my blood sugar level pretty closely by sticking to a rigid diet. Sometimes it gets very frustrating and I want to just give up... I would appreciate your prayers for me to keep going strong to the end! :-) 

Thanks! 

Blessings,

FarmGirl

33 Weeks Pregnant!!

Won't be long now! Evan is due in 51 days!! Ahhh!

Some neat facts about me and the little guy at this point in the pregnancy:

(quoted from BabyCenter.com)

"At about this point you have probably begun to obsess over labor and delivery. You may have a vision of how you'd like the whole event to go: contractions are brief and painless and in one push out pops your baby to the background music of "Chariots of Fire.

The big news this week is lung development—baby's respiratory system is almost completely mature. That means if your baby was born this week, odds are he'd be a healthy bouncing baby with a just a little help!

Your baby can now detect light and tell the difference between night and day (of course that ability will miraculously disappear once he's born and up all night screaming). His pupils will constrict and dilate in response to light. If you shine a flashlight on your belly, your baby may shy away from the light as if to say, "Cut it out, Ma. You're soooo annoying."

The bones in your baby's skull are soft and are not yet fused together. In other words, now is not the time to teach him how to do a headspin while breakdancing. This pliability allows the bones to overlap; making that trip down the tight birth canal possible (and resulting in that surprising cone head look your baby will sport for the first few days post-birth. Don't worry, it's totally normal and that's what hats are for.)

Your baby will continue to pack on the pounds gaining around ½ pound a week from here on out.

Your baby weighs about 4½ pounds, as much as a grownup duck, and is approximately 17.5 inches long."

So there ya have it... a quick update on Evan's progress! =) Also, he gets the hiccups almost every day.

Announcement!

61 Days (or less) until Mr. Evan Michael is introduced to the world!! Ahh - it sounds so soon when it's put in terms of days!

More still coming...

Baby Bump Pictures

This is just a sneak peek! We had a photo shoot with Mark last weekend. More soon to come!

30 Weeks Pregnant!!

Little Mr Evan Michael will be here soon! :D We're having a photo session this Saturday, so I'll post pictures of my BIG belly.

Prayer

I would like to ask that when you think of baby Evan (you probably don't as often as I do, but that's okay ;) you say a quick prayer for me. On my latest prenatal visit we discovered that I have been struggling with very low blood sugar levels. This is not dangerous for Evan, unless I faint and hurt myself! It is not healthy for me however, as it makes my body work too hard trying to balance the amount of glucose in my bloodstream... and in the process I get to feeling sick and often get very dizzy. This morning I talked for a good while on the phone with a mom who has dealt with blood sugar issues through all 8 of her pregnancies - Wow! She was so encouraging and helpful!! Praise God for letting her help me during this time!
I would so appreciate it if you would just keep me in prayer as I do have a lot of changes to make and stick to a rigid diet. It will be more than worth it when we finally get to meet little Evan Michael! :D
God is good... all the time! He never leaves His children alone.
Have a great weekend everybody!!
Blessings,
Farm Girl

28 Weeks Along!

I am getting quite a belly... little Mr Evan is growing so fast these days! 

7 Months Pregnant!

Evan is getting so big! His movements and kicks just get stronger all the time. =) 
Only three months to go... time is flying!

26 Weeks Pregnant!!!

Evan, little man, we cannot wait to see you!! It's September.... next comes October. Then November - and then YOUR month, December, will be here! :D 

6 Months Pregnant... Fun Facts!

* By the end of the month, the uterus is the size of a basketball
* Baby is over a foot long and weighs close to 2 pounds
* Quite active, baby can pedal his feet and has developed a strong grip
* Baby's eyes can open and close now and react to light
* Vocal chords are functioning, although he won't use them until birth
* Hiccups are common (I have found this to be true with Evan!)
* A baby born now can survive with intensive care

- These notes are taken from What to Expect When You're Expecting, a really helpful book that I highly recommend to any pregnant lady! =)