Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home...

Well we are finally getting settled in to our new place and it feels wonderful! There is still so much to do, but at this point we are pleased with the unpacking progress. There are pictures to be hung, a basement to be finished, a nursery to complete, and a few boxes that still need attention...yet we aren't letting all that work take away from the joy we feel! Every day we find ourselves talking about another feature of the house we both love and thanking God for blessing us with our new home! After all the ups and downs in our housing search, we finally find our perfect starter home and it suites us very well. The neighborhood is great, the location couldn't be better for us, and we will be ready for the baby just in time!

36 Weeks

Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Home Sweet Home

We are now officially home owners and we couldn't be more excited! After a very long search we finally found a place we loved and we closed this afternoon. This weekend will be a busy one as we pack up the townhouse and unpack at our new home. Our first stop when we left the title company was to get a new gas grill for Eric--of course!

Purchasing our first home has been a goal for Eric and I so we feel incredibly blessed! We look forward to welcoming our family and friends into our new home!

I will post pictures as soon as I can.

XOXO

Week 35

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight

Week 34

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 33

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 32

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 31

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Update

Pregnancy:

May 30 - First (and so far, only) time my ankles have been swollen. June 14 - First (and so far, only) time my hands have been swollen. Presently, I do not see any belly stretchmarks...but they have popped up in a few other, unexpected places. I wonder if I'll ever wear a bathing suit again...

Eric and I have yet to commit to a name for our baby girl. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, but we both agree--choosing a name before we meet her just doesn't seem right. We have to see her and spend time with her first.

At this time the baby is healthy and developing right on schedule. I am up 20 pounds and feel great! Thankfully, being pregnant has been much easier than I expected! I hope its a good sign for the labor portion of this whole experience!

Home buying:

The house we were set to close on (on June 25) had a flooding issue in the basement, so we cancelled the contract. We are so happy this issue came up before we actually owned the house! Now we are back at square one and getting ready for a house-touring-blitz! Again, we just want to give all the glory to God for shielding us from the wrong house...we are beginning to wonder if He is preparing us for something yet to be revealed (if the prayers of a righteous person avail, Grandma Sophie and Grandma Christy might get their way sooner than expected).

Family life:

Family life continues to be a blessing! After three months of me leaving the work place, our relationship continues to blossom daily in unexpected ways. Our first year of marriage was better than either of us could have imagined and we look forward to the many ways it will mature and develop in the future. Being at home has given me the opportunity to slow down and really enjoy every day!

We want to thank all our family and friends for their constant love and support as we prepare for this next chapter in our lives--All the kind words, prayers, cards, gifts, text messages, and emails have been much appreciated!

Week 30

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 29

Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week he weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is getting bigger to accommodate his growing brain — which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 28

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can open and close her eyes, which now sport lashes. This movement is more of a reflexive blink than a deliberate opening and closing, but it won't be long before she's batting those beauties at you.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Mi casa es su casa

Thanks to everyone for your prayers during our housing search!

A day after my return to Kansas City, we saw a house and put in an offer. The seller accepted and we just had it inspected this morning. The inspection went well, and Lord willing, we are closing on June 25!

While we are not surprised that God continues to be faithful and an amazing provider, we are SO THANKFUL for His grace and abundant blessings!

VACANCY: Summer is our favorite time in Kansas City--its beautiful outside, the city market is open, and there are lots of great activities going on! We currently have two open guest bedrooms and would love to host visiting friends and family! If you visit before the end of June, we live right by the pool! If you visit after June 25, you can be part of the moving chaos!

Week 27

This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Baby Shower: Tri-Cities

Our second shower was May 16, in the Tri-Cities. Eric and I were honored to receive so much attention and love that day because it also would have been my brother Jacob's 21st birthday! Grandma Sophie and Aunt Marissa were careful not to overlook a single detail for the party, everything was just fantastic! Each of my aunts helped put together an amazing dinner, Cakes Be We customized the cake to match the invitations, and the Escalera's put extra care into their home to make sure it was picture perfect for the evening. Thank you to everyone who was able to make the drive out to celebrate with us--it was so nice to have you all with us as we prepare for our baby girl! Don't forget to check back soon--I know Grandma Sophia is excited to update us all on the Ronald McDonald House donation and how it will be used!

Baby shower: Spokane

Our first shower was Thursday, May 15, in Spokane. Pictures will be posted soon!!

Grandma Christy, Aunt Carli, and Aunt Kristen really went out of their way to make this event special. The fellowship was priceless, the dessert was made with love, and the games were so much fun! Grandma Irmina and Aunt Jo were able to come in from the Seattle area to celebrate with us, along with all the women in Spokane who love us! I am so grateful for all the wisdom on motherhood and all the blessings for our baby girl that were shared! I know I will always have the support and prayers of some incredible women, even if we live miles away!

Our trip home

I just returned from a wonderful, relaxing two weeks back home in Washington and have lots to write about! Eric's sister Carli announced she and her husband Landen are expecting their second child! Their son, Caleb, is such a sweet little guy; we can't wait to find out if he's getting a little brother or sister! Congratulations, Grant family (if you would like to keep updated on their good news, you can visit their blog through the link on our page)!

In our three years of traveling back home, this trip was one of my favorites! Being able to leave for two weeks and not have to worry about all the "work" that was piling up on my "desk" was amazing! I felt like I was finally able to fully enjoy each moment with family and friends and truly be on "vacation"! The hardest part was being away from Eric for so long, but he was able to come out for a four day weekend to be with us. We both agreed that things are better when we’re together!

While at home we were BLESSED to have two baby showers for our little girl! We would like to thank everyone who attended to support us during this precious time! Your encouragement, prayers, and generosity are such a blessing to us. We feel humbled by your thoughtfulness and grateful for your love!

If my stomach wasn't noticeable before, it's definitely making an appearance! It feels like I’ve doubled in size in a very short period of time. I am still at a point where I don't feel "huge" yet, but I am noticing the changes--I keep bumping my stomach on the car door and on chairs, if I try to walk behind someone at a dinner table. The down side of this all is that now I really have to look for new clothes...the up side is that everyone was extremely helpful at the airport today!

Eric and I are currently in the process of house hunting and we are so excited to see what God has in our future! We will be busy the next few weeks touring potential homes. Please keep us in your prayers as we make this very important decision!

I want to send a special Thank You to my wonderful husband for my "Mom to be" Mother's day delivery! You're the best husband I've ever had!!

Week 26

The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 25

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight--a pound and a half--isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for a more rounded one. As your baby gains weight, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more like a mini newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now in color and texture, although both may change after he's born.

Information provided by babycenter.com

Week 24

Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), that makes for a pretty lean figure, but her body's filling out proportionally. Your baby's brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds may be working now. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily. Your baby can hear more now, and you may even notice her startle at loud, sudden noises. But she's probably getting used to the regular noises she hears around the house, such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner.

Information provided by babycenter.com