Growing Ghoens: Week 40 Bump Date

We made it to FORTY WEEKS!!

(although clearly I'm writing this AFTER you were born.. but I'll take everyone up to our finallllllll day of you in my belly & THEN I'll share your beautiful birth story!!)

How does it feel like SO long ago, but just yesterday that you were the size of a blueberry in my belly??

Pregnancy, growing a HUMAN, is seriously the most incredible thing I've ever done.. well, besides birthing you!

I've said it so many times, but I'll say it again.

I'm going to miss this experience.

Feeling you grow & develop inside of me has been the greatest gift!

Thank you, Lord for this!!

Sunday, June 11th, was your due date.

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We got up, got ready & went to church. Our small group prayed over us & wished us "luck" heading into the week, hoping that the next time they heard from us that we'd be a family of three.

Monday, June 12th, we were 40 + 2.

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Your Aunt Tecia was in town for a family beach trip, so I met her & your MiMi for brunch & then went to sit on the beach for a few hours. After that, I came home to workout!!

Tuesday, June 13th, we were 40 + 3.

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This was the day of my 40 week appointment with the midwife. I went in for an NST, which is a non-stress test. Basically, the midwife wanted to check on you & I in a very non-invasive way.

They sat me in a recliner for 25 minutes to monitor your heart rate, any movements & potential contractions.

Let's just say your activity was more than I thought.

And when I STOOD up after it was over..

What a SURPRISE!!

My water broke..

Coming SOON!!

Our birth story.

Growing Ghoens: Week 39 Bump Date

39 Weeks.. I keep thinking, "could this be the week?!"

My belly is the size of a watermelon, baby girl.

What size does that mean YOU are??

Hopefully smaller than that!! HA

We are PRAYING praying for a healthy arrival very soon!! I don't think I've ever been more ready for something in my entire life!!

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Mommy's accountability partners, who have been praying for you so fervently, especially can't wait to meet you. They coordinated a little gift card shower for us from our the small group at church! So so thoughtful + helpful!!

Thank you, Hollen & Taylor.

We love you!

Mommy had a little sign happen like week that means you might REALLY be making your appearance anytime now. So your dad & I have gotten creative with things to try to see if it'll help you come see us asap!!

Just to name a couple (& keep it PG.. HA), we tried:

Thai Food

A a 9 mile bike ride at your Mimi & Papa's house

Even a pedicure.. shucks right?? :P

(I heard they sometimes hit labor inducing pressure points!!)

 I keep snapping photos of my belly every day to see if it & YOU are dropping!

#BellyTracking

Your movements are so fun & so BIG.

I think I can feel you getting into position to come see us.

Gosh, I'm going to MISS having you close to me in this way..

Your dad has been SO helpful.. making sure I'm fed, trying to keep me distracted from obsessing over when you're coming & helping me practice breathing/stretches for your birth! I'm beyond blessed to have him.. & so are you!

You still seem to share my DEEP love for breakfast food.. because we seem to somehow be eating it even MORE now!!

You might just come out of the womb asking for protein pancakes, turkey bacon & yogurt bowls :)

We're alssssooooooo experiencing a slightly less healthy hankering for Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Let's hope you don't have my sweet tooth!!

So what does the week before your due date look like?

Well.. it looks like lots of healthy food, lots of exercise & lots of rest.

I've been a bit LOW on energy during workouts, partially from OBSESSIVELY cleaning & because moving this belly around ain't easy anymore, so I started drinking a little natural, plant-based energy booster (aka "energize") to help me out. 

I have a feeling this stuff will be GOLD when we're in the sleep trenches of figuring you out & not getting any sleep :)

 Our sweet neighbors invited us to relax by their pool, so mama took them up on it finally!!

Putting on a bathing suit at 39 weeks pregnant sure was an adventure.

I wonder if your fur sisters know you're coming soon!!

Tannyn, the spotted one, has been extra snuggly with you & I lately.

I ordered them some fresh flowers for their collars before you meet them - they want to be spiffy for their baby sister's homecoming!!

Speaking of that, our plan is to bring home some of your hospital blankets for them to smell & sleep with before they officially meet you.

I wonder what that will be like!?!

We're all ready, baby girl!

 I just can't stop thinking about your arrival, peanut.

We pray for you multiple times a day.

We imagine seeing you the first time.

Holding you & kissing you.

What will you look like?

(besides your dad's twin, I'm sure)

What will your NAME finally be?

So many questions!!

Come soon, sweet thing.. mama's ready!

Growing Ghoens: Week 38 Bump Date

Well hey there, PUMPKIN!!! We're 38 weeks along now!

Are you as ready as I am to be together or are you super comfy in my belly?

We're all so ready for you to arrive, little one. Our sweet friends down here are doing everything they can to help us prepare for your big appearance.. from bringing dinner over to visiting us to a girls night in to pass the time.. they're trying to help distract our minds from counting down the minutes remaining of this pregnancy!!

Thanks, Hollen & Josh for dinner this week!!!

Your daddy has stepped it UP this week - taking extra good care of us!!

He's cooked dinner, made healthy treats (protein cookie cake!! recipe on my FB page from Kodiak Cakes), helped clean, run some last minute errands, massaged my back & rubbed my feet. Not to mention LOTS of last minute reading so he can be my helper during your birth! He even finished reading you the book of Genesis this week. We are SO blessed to have this guy around!!

Your mama did something pretty cool this week too. I FINALLY finished my 90 day strength training program & am OFFICIALLY a Chalene Extreme graduate. I'll post more about what this means later, but I am SO proud of being able to complete this while carrying you. I'm praying this hard work will make bringing you into the world & taking care of you easier - because I've taken care of ME & provided you with a really healthy environment to grow in.

I can't wait to workout with you & teach you how to live an EXCITING, healthy life as you grow up!

Here's one of the meals your dad whipped up this week - I've LOVED "pasta" this pregnancy. So we make veggie noodles with turkey sauce all the time. I also ate a TON of broccoli this week.. it just sounded EXTRA good for some reason :)

And while I've indulged a couple of days on some ice-cream, I've kept my sweet tooth primarily happy with our chocolate flavored superfoods/prenatal shake!!

One night, I actually mixed it with peanut butter, a little water & chopped strawberries - it was like a RICH pudding & tasted delicious. I know it doesn't LOOK that appealing, but I promise it was good. Trying my hardest to make plenty of healthy choices that outweigh our little treats here & there!

That's about it for the week! Because your dad was such a big help, mama put in some LONG hours in her office getting things with the business & our #GracefullyBalanced team situated so that I can unplug when you arrive. I promise, I'll have everything in order before you get here so I can spend all my time snuggling you & getting to know you!

A letter to my sweet girl

Oh my, sweet sweet girl.

I'm not sure exactly what to say to you that can fully explain how I feel as I await your arrival.

Your momma feels WONDER, joy, fullness, uncertainty, purpose, happiness, excitement, humility, anxiousness, responsibility, protective, LOVE, apprehension, eagerness, anticipation & a whole lot more.

It seems like just yesterday we were trying for you. Celebrating a positive test. Praying over our initial lab work. Awaiting your first ultrasound. Praising Jesus over your little heart beat. Counting down to your gender reveal. Arriving at the halfway point. Dreaming up your nursery. Assembling your crib. And fervently surrendering your development to Jesus.

Now we're less than 2 weeks from your due date. Aware you could surprise us at any time. Wondering if we're eating dinner, going to bed, waking up, etc the last time as a family of two. Overwhelmed by the excitement that lies before us, but fully aware of the responsibility God has given us to raise you. And what a privilege it is.

You're not here yet & we couldn't be more honored to be the ones chosen as your parents.

To shepherd your heart.

To nurture your spirit.

To watch you grow.

To love you.

To teach you about Jesus.

To watch you hopefully surrender your life to Him at a young age.

And live a life of purpose for His glory.

Your daddy & I, we would have never dreamed this up. Or have imagined that we would have these feelings about raising a family. We went so many years living out our own plans - not realizing God would change our hearts so drastically. And that a desire so strong to grow our family would burn inside each of us.

I think my heart might explode meeting you, little one.

Seeing the miracle that you are, finally in the flesh.

Watching you wiggle & squirm.

Seeing the qualities of your dad & I in you.

Discovering the love of being a parent.

Experiencing the ups & downs that come with it.

Realizing that God is going to draw us close to Him in the process.

Wow.

We're on the precipice of something wonderful.

And I have butterflies.

Come soon, sweet one.

We love you!!

Baby Ghoens Maternity Photos

Last week, at 36 weeks pregnant, we had our maternity session at Eden Gardens State Park.

Every pose felt so surreal, as I tried to fathom the moment & season of life we were capturing.

..That this soon belly I was holding would be our baby girl.

..That I will be her momma.

..And that the man beside me, who has been my best friend & companion for all these years, would soon be the father of our little one.

I think the constant wonder of it all is what helps me hold back all the tears of gratitude & joy that are stored up & just awaiting a hormonal release :) 

I hope you enjoy these photos even an ounce as much as we have.

And scroll all the way to the bottom for information regarding our wonderful photographer!

 1 Samuel 1:27

For this child we prayed..

Thank you, Lord, for for hearing & granting our request!

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I want to thank our sweet photographer, Brenna Kneiss, for the care & time she took during our session {we can't wait for our newborn photos!!}. If you're in the panhandle area of Florida or are willing to travel, I highly recommend her services. This gal truly has a HEART for what she does & it is so evident in her photos. I can't say enough wonderful things about her. Feel free to look at her incredible work HERE. You can also easily find her on Facebook & Instagram using her full name.

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