Update with more words this time.

My cousin-in-law/friend Allison is so good about updating us on her pregnancy through her bog that she has inspired me to do the same.

Here is the latest:

The baby's room is not ready. We have had construction issues and delays. Once construction in complete then I can set up all the things I have ready. The good news is that it is all irrelevent (I keep telling myself this so I won't stress over it!) because the bassinet is set up and ready in our bedroom and that's all we will need for quite a while.

The baby has stayed head down for three days in a row (until about an hour again and now I thinks it's transverse). This little gremlin changes positions so often that I am not worried about it's current position. Our doula showed us movements I can do to help turn the baby. I played around with it a week or two ago and the baby moved to the head down position in about 5 minutes! Wish I had known that trick last time with Savannah. We could have avoided a c-section. I highly recommend finding yourself a doula if you are pregnant! They are awesome and a wealth of information. For more info on figuring out the position of your baby check out spinningbabies.com

I am due sometime between January 8th and the 13th. However I lost my mucus plug a couple of days ago. No big deal, I haven't had any contractions. But today I went to the acupuncturist and after he evaluated me he stated he hoped I would make it till after Christmas. Not knowing what he meant I asked for clarification. He showed me on a chart that all my energy is already focused on my lower uterus where contractions begin and the baby exits! Through my pregnancy my body has focused the energy higher up where the baby is growing. Not any more.

Even with the above paragraph noted I plan to spend the week after Christmas in Dallas with family. My sister and all her kiddos will be in town. With all our youngins and me so big, it will be a laid back week of family fun. Mark will have to come home and work. That will be the sad part. My doc okayed the trip since it is only 1 hour and 45 minutes from the hospital where I will deliver.

Since we don't know the sex of the baby, I am frequently asked what I think it is. I can say without a doubt that I feel it is strong and big! Other than that, only God knows. In the first trimester I dreamed it was a pig, in the 2nd trimester I dreamed it was a white tiger/mountain lion and in the third trimester I have dreamed once that it is a boy and once that it is a girl. However, Mark woke up the other day and said, "it's a girl." He stated it like a fact instead of a hunch from a dream.

On that note, I also get asked if I want a boy since I already have a girl. My reply is of course God knows best what we need and thank goodness it's not up to me to choose the destiny of my family. But if I had a choice I would say another girl so Savannah could have a sister and then Mark would be tempted to try a third time for a boy. Mark's thoughts on the subject go back to comments made by our old neighbor and friend Lee Flannery when I was pregnant with Savannah. We didn't find out what she was either and Lee told Mark it would be a girl and that he was destined to be around women his whole life (he deals with mostly women at work and there are lots of women from my side of the family who are often at our house). Mark agrees (with no frustration in his voice I might add) and said we could try 4 times and they would all be girls. At least he is totally ok with that.

Lastly, don't look for a Christmas card from us in your mailbox this year. We will be sending a Happy New Year card/birth announcement soon (but hopefully not until the new year!).

Merry Christmas everyone!