Maternity Pictures :)

Twenty nine weeks down only ELEVEN to go! Crazy how fast this has been going! Although Luke thinks it's never going to get here he's so anxious and excited to meet Lily :). It's been awhile since I've posted a picture up - here's me at 29 weeks and Newt wanted to be included in this moment.

Since the last time I've posted my mom, sister and nephew Jacob came and visited us for Thanksgiving! It was a lot of fun and us ladies were able to get away with the Ritters and go shooting!



Donna and the pink lady

Donna with my gun

Chief showing mom the ropes ;)

Mom's liking this a little too much.... ;)

Mom looks quite peaceful here lol

Me showing Lily the ropes

Making sure Donna doesn't accidentally shoot someone

Don't mess with him

The gun is heavy

Luke was making me mad, by the time I had the clay in my site he already shot it to bits

Finally I got some shooting time to myself

The crazy kiddos. Yeah, it was hard to even get them in the frame all at once let alone smiling or posed. We tried. They were playing cops and robbers

Scary skeleton with a gun!

Anyway, that's what's new! Have a great weekend!!

Twenty Eight Weeks

As I finish up my second, as Luke says it - semester- but properly called -trimester, here is what is happening with our little Lily Shannon.

She's kicking and moving almost consistently every day and I'm sure at night too but I'm unconcious to the world and her for now. I've still got a few more weeks where it's not child abuse to ignore her when I'm sleeping.

Her eyes are now partially open and can blink!! She also has color in her eyes ...we'll need to work on getting an ultrasound in color so we can see if she has daddy's green eyes or mama's blue eyes.

She's also approximately 15 inches long and 2 to 3 pounds now! I promise I will post a belly picture soon! It's been awhile!

Life is busy being the holidays but we are looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Saviour up north with family in a couple weeks!

26 weeks!

I've been gone so I've skipped a few weeks! But baby is still growing and here is what is currently happening with Lily...
Deep breath! Air sacks are developing in baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because her eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. She can't understand what any of it means yet, but she's on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue's Clues in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Our bambino will also start to recognize Luke's voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of her stay in Hotel Womb. Lily is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as my primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months). (From parentsconnect.com)

Back to me...

Lily is growing big and fast and last week we had our first baby shower!! It was a wonderful time and I thoroughly enjoyed myself! Here are a few of the items we were able to test out on Newter bug...Poor guy. (**Note: when I say we I mean mostly Luke)

Luke has tested out the nursing pillow on Newt. He was quite scared of it initially but relaxes once he's on the pillow.

Luke was demonstrating the Moby Wrap as seen in magazines

He's just cute as a button :)



We've Moved!!

It's been awhile and it's legit. We've moved and it took a war to finally convince the internet company to transfer the internet over to our new place. No worries, although it was epic, I believe we came out on top. 

Since I've been gone here's what has happened in life...

We went to Klingman's Dome and Cade's Cove

Gracie's loving Uncle Luke 

Jackie was making Scott a hat just like the kid's. Scott felt like it looked like a dunce cap...fitting ;)

TURKEY!!

Newt's going to miss this fire place. One last chill by the warm flames.

Our house is a mess but it's all in boxes for the most part!!

Moving day! One last cup of coffee in the house (for Luke that is)

The new place - Living room

Dining area

Kitchen with the retro TN orange countertops

Hallway

Master bedroom

Guest Bedroom/Office

(I won the arguement with Luke FYI. For those of you who didn't hear, Luke thought the baby's room and the computer room should be the same room...I disagreed)

Lily's room :)

Bathroom

AAANND DONE for the day, we finished with a Reese's McFlurry from McDonalds.

You would've thought he spent the day unpacking and moving. Goodness

Yeah he's still cute...



That's all for now I'll post pregnancy things later! Have a blessed day!

Twenty-Two Weeks

WEEK TWENTY TWO!

Our Mini's hands have grown bigger and stronger and the nerve endings in her fingers have developed her sense of touch. She's in there testing out her newfound abilities by touching her face and grabbing the umbilical cord. Other cool developments:

We're already raising a little Einstein. Our baby's brain is developing at a clip this week and will continue to do so until she's five years old!

Baby's hair is now a short, bright white crop (Billy Idol, eat your heart out!). No matter what color it will end up—red, blonde, black—all babies' hair lacks pigment at this point.

Our baby has started growing taste buds and may be able to detect strong flavors in the amniotic fluid. If you could see inside, you might catch her sticking out her tongue for a taste and then grimacing, a sign that perhaps you should chill on the chili powder.

Our baby now weighs almost a pound and measures almost 11 inches from her head to her heel. Up 'til now our baby's legs were curled tight up against her torso. This week your mini is about as long as a package of Oreos and as heavy as a large bag of tortilla chips. Who's hungry?
(parentsconnect.com)

So that is what's happening with our little Lily this week! As for me and Luke we're keeping pretty busy! Luke is working with Scott still and is keeping busy working with that. I've slowed down with cleaning the vacation rentals but keep busy with other cleaning and thirty one. Trusting in the Lord to help us find a new place to live, yet it's a process, it's taken a lot longer than we thought it would. Praying for patience as we wait on Him. Hope you all have a blessed weekend!



Twenty One Weeks!

Okay so I've past the half way marker and it's all down hill from now (right???) This little one is a kicking feign and Luke has finally been able to feel her moving! As for development and size this week here are the facts...

"By now [Lily] looks like a mini-version of what she'll look like when she's born. All her facial features are formed and hair is growing on her head. She's even acting like a baby and will occasionally suck her thumb or yawn. Aww ...

Baby's heartbeat is getting stronger and can be heard using a good old-fashioned stethoscope. Ask for a listen at your next prenatal visit! By 21 weeks, fetal bone marrow starts making blood cells—previously done by the liver and spleen. This may not sound that exciting, but it's good news.

The amniotic fluid that has been cushioning your little bean now serves another purpose: [She] uses it to "practice" chowing down. Yes, it sounds gross (as many aspects of pregnancy do), but it's an important step for your baby toward being able to chow down in the real world. [She] has been swallowing amniotic fluid for a while now, but now the intestines are finally developed enough that she's absorbing small amounts of sugars from it. And let's face it, being able to effectively digest sugar is important at every stage of life.

[She[ now weighs between 10 and 11 ounces and is approximately 7 inches long—the size of a delicious, cold, frothy bottle of root beer. Float anyone?"

21 Weeks!!

I hope you all enjoyed that. Until next time.

20 weeks!!

HALFWAY THERE!!  This is what is happening to little Lily Shannon this week!

"She has established sleep patterns akin to a newborn now. Many babies even have a favorite sleep position already. Some snooze with their chins resting on their chests, while others nap with their head flung back. Many babies at this age fall into noticeable cycles of sleep and activity, so we may know before she arrives whether we have a night owl or an early bird.

Her uterus is completely formed and the rest of her "parts" are in development. (Is that TMI?)

From this point forward, she will put most of her energy into gaining weight and, not coincidentally, so will I! Right now Lily baby weighs approximately 10½ ounces and is about 6½ inches long, about the size of a can of Red Bull (which has way too much caffeine for a pregnant woman to be drinking)."

(www.parentsconnect.com)

Take My Life

These lyrics spoke out to me this morning and I thought I'd share with you all. Such an excellent lyric. Hope you are just as blessed as I was when I heard them.

 

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.
 

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

Baby Girl!

Now this time I'm going to be a little more efficient! Also, I don't know when I'll have time to post next so now is as good as ever. We found out today that our little one is a girl! She was quite the mover so it was hard for the technician to get all his pictures but we are sure it's a girl!  She was healthy and weighing 8 ounces with a bpm of 150.  Also I am 19 weeks at this point and we're in need of an update as to what is going on with little Ritter lady.

This week your baby starts bulking up and packing on the grossly named "brown fat" she'll need to keep warm when she gets evicted from her comfortable uterine home. Other highlights this week:

Good news: Your baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week. Bad news: That means there will be lots of diapers in your future. But so far you're safe—at the moment the pee just passes into the amniotic fluid.

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.

She now weighs about 8½ ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey (or CBR) sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread (or Honey Oat bread, or Oregano bread or ...)

Okay that is what's going on...now here are a couple pictures for you all! 

19 weeks. (Ignore the bathroom scenery...)

Profile of baby girl!

Colorado!

So here is a glimpse into our week last week while we spent a WONDERFUL week tucked away in the scenic and GORGEOUS Rocky Mountains of Colorado!

On the porch of our home for the week with a beautiful view. 

Colorado sunset  

On the Durango-Silverton Train 

Horseshoe Cove --one of the many gorgeous sites on this trip 

The Aspen Trees just starting to change colors

Needle Mountains 

Another one of the days we went to Mesa Verde to see the Pueblo Indian cave dwellings

 One of the many cave dwellings in Mesa verde

Molas Pass - Elevation 10,899

Molas Pass

Silverton, CO

San Juan Skyway is over 200 miles of scenery and all sorts of elevations. This is at elevations around 11,000 and this is the edge of the road, note the lack of guardrails or trees to stop you.

Telluride, CO

Four Corners

We can't forget the three dogs that loved to visit us each morning and evening. From left to right: Lucy, Sage, and Blueberry AKA "Big B"

That is only a few of my favorite pictures from CO that I thought I'd share with you all. Tomorrow is ultrasound to find out what this baby is! Super excited!!