Love is Patient: The Color Purple...An Eggplant!!! (Week 24)

Well our sweet Seiden Grace is 24 weeks old and is more than making her sweet, adorable, beautiful little presence known! Not only does my belly look like I swallowed a soccer ball...but she is quite the active little girl! And speaking of a soccer ball...my uterus is the size of one this week! I guess it's no wonder it looks like I swallowed one :-) But I guess the fact that she's so active shouldn't surprise me. If I sit still for more than a few minutes is usually because I'm watching a movie, about to go to bed and am just relaxing for a bit, or sleeping. Needless to say...I go, go go all the time! So, it makes perfect sense that our precious daughter would be quite the mover...like her momma! I told Cody she is really starting to move a lot more and now that she's bigger, I can feel her when I'm not just sitting or laying down. And let me just say...I LOVE feeling her wiggle around inside of me! It is the coolest feeling in the entire world and I really can't get enough of it! And because she's getting bigger, there are many, many times when I can feel her on the outside of my tummy! Of course, every time I tell Cody or anyone else in my family that she's moving and they try to come feel...she gets shy (or stubborn...also like me!) and doesn't do it for them! Little pill! Cody did feel her pushing up against me last week during church, but he hasn't felt it when she kicks, punches, does somersaults, or other gymnastic moves! One of these days, they'll get to feel her and I can't wait for that! I've started to feel her when I'm standing up, walking, and even working out! The other day, I was doing a WOD that was 5 rounds for time of 15 overhead squats (65lbs) and run 400m. I had already run a mile before I started the WOD, but I could feel her pushing up against my abs (or where they used to be!) every time I was running! She wasn't doing it when I was squatting...just when I was running! I think she's telling me she likes to run...so run we will! On the workout note...I'm still running and CrossFitting every single day. I am taking it a lot easier than I used to...which has been an adjustment. But I'm counting my lucky stars that I am able to workout as well as feel so great and want to workout everyday.

In fact, we had a 4 week check-up with Dr. Tadvick on Monday and he said just keep on working out...no reason to stop! My mom went with me to this check-up since all we did was listen to her heart beat, talk about the appointment in Ft. Worth, and just talk about anything that I had questions about. What brought up all the talk about working out was that my mom asked how my weight gain was. Since I'm working out and eating so healthy, she was worried that I wasn't gaining enough. So, when she asked him and told him about my eating and working out...he said keep it up! YAY!!! But, not to worry. I have gained about 8-9 pounds at 24 weeks...I still kinda fluctuate through pregnancy. He said I was right on track to gain between 20-25 lbs...which is right where he wanted me. He actually said I'll probably be a little under since I'll possibly be having a C-section a week to two weeks before her actual due date. But, he was more than happy with how my weight gain was and how I've been eating. He also measured my stomach to make sure that I was growing how I should be for 24 weeks. It was all perfect! He said that both Seiden and I were just as healthy as we could be, right on track for weight gain, measuring how we should be, and Seiden couldn't look or sound more healthy! Her heart rate was 155...which is right around where she has been through the entire pregnancy. When we talked about the doctor's appointment in Ft. Worth, Dr. Tadvick just confirmed what we've been told and how we've felt the entire time. That this little cyst is really just a bump in the road and absolutely nothing that we should be concerned or worried about. He was more bummed about they possibility of him not delivering her than anything else! Which we love. He is truly an amazing doctor and we are so blessed that God led him to us. I told him that if we do wind up delivering in Ft. Worth...he'll just have to come with us. I wonder if we could make that work?!? After our appointment, he prayed with us and over Seiden. It's absolutely wonderfully amazing to have a doctor that prays with you, for you, over you, and over your child. We feel so blessed in so many ways by Seiden and are faithful, trusting, and have such a sense of peace about what is going on with this little cyst. Or as Dr. Tadvick calls it...a "bump in the road!" We know God's healing powers are more than we could ever imagine and we have absolutely no doubt that he will perform miraculous healing on Seiden. He is her heavenly father and He loves her more than we could wrap our minds around. We just have so much faith in Him for her that we are at ease with all of this. More than anything, we are just honored that He chose us to be her parents and to be the ones that provide for her and care for her here on this earth. We just can't wait to meet her, hold her, kiss her, and love her for the rest of our lives! Seiden Grace...you are so precious to us...we can't put into words how much we love you and how much you have consumed every bit of our lives...and we love every second of it!

Seiden Grace at 24 Weeks:

You are 10 inches long and weigh 1.7 pounds!!!
You are the size of an eggplant!!!
You have gained 4 ounces just since last week!
Your skin is turning pinker because blood vessels are forming under you sweet and soft skin.
Blood vessels will also develop in your lungs so that they will be fully formed and perfect when you are born.
Your nostrils are beginning to open up this week...I know that little nose of yours is just one of the many adorable things on your perfect little body!!!
Your brain is growing more quickly now and your taste buds are developing more and more. I hope you like all the yummy food I've been feeding you!!!
You are absolutely the light of our lives and we can't even imagine how amazing it will be when we are holding you in our arms!
We love you so much precious girl!!!