30 Weeks and Maternity Photos

30 Weeks!!  Can't believe we only have 10 more to go.  Looking back on the last 30 weeks, I have to say I feel really lucky about how uneventful this pregnancy has been.  It hasn't always been easy, or a walk in the park; but I'm very thankful that medically things have gone very smoothly.

I've been eating really well, avoiding my fast food fixes and instead trading milkshakes for healthy snacks, as well as working out at least 5 times a week.  My advice to anyone who has recently become pregnant:  EXERCISE!  Carrying around an extra 20-25 pounds is no joke, and I wish my back was a bit stronger to help support my ever growing belly.

I've also learned to increase my water intake during the day and to taper off closer to bedtime to help lessen my trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  I've found my perfect mix of pillows, which has significantly helped with my low back and hip pain while sleeping.

Baby update:  Baby is the length of a cucumber, weighing in at over 3 pounds!  He/She will continue to gain weight at a rate of half a pound a week.  The baby is now strong enough to grasp a finger and eyesight is continuing to improve, although baby keeps eyes closed most of the day.  The brain is also continuing to develop.  Lots and lots of movement, I've been trying to video the baby moving, but every time I do, the baby gets shy and stops.  I've felt the baby have hiccups a few more times as well, which I absolutely love.

In other news, my grandma and I had a little date this weekend.  Every year for Christmas I get her a "making memories" gift.  She has everything she could possibly ever need, so I decided a few years ago that I would take her out to dinner and a show for Christmas instead of a materialistic gift.

This year I brought her over to the house to see the updates and the nursery; it had been almost 3 years since she had last been over!  Then we headed over to Liberty Market for an early dinner.  We saw The Wizard of Oz at Gammage Theater, which was amazing!  It brought me right back to my childhood.  Every time my family came up to visit my grandparents, they would put on The Wizard of Oz for us to watch while they chatted with my parents.  I sang along to nearly every song, and loved spending the time alone with her.

And now, what you've all been waiting for....my maternity photos.  My very talented friend Heather Ratliff took these pictures at The Groves church on Gilbert and Queen Creek in Gilbert, AZ.  It was an overcast day, and I was afraid that the lighting would ruin the shoot.  It was quite the opposite, as Heather reassured me they would turn out beautiful.  Enjoy!